Malawi hikes tax on internet, duty on SMS: Goodall says local resources to finance 2015/16 budget

Malawi Finance, Economic Planning and Development Minister Goodall Gondwe on Friday said the 2015/16 budget which has no budgetary support from donors will be financed by local resources and announced new tax measures including a 10 percent excise duty to be levied on phone text messaging and all data transfers, including internet and similar services.

Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe arrives at parliament to unveil the 2015/16 Malawi financial plan
Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe arrives at parliament to unveil the 2015/16 Malawi financial plan

“We have to generate adequate local resources to finance our activities,” said Gondwe.

He said the tax on internet has been put following the “tremendous uptake” of the telecommunication services in Malawi and in order to expand the tax base “to generate resources” for the national budget.

Gondwe also announced that government has determined that the excise duty rates for motor vehicles with engine capacity exceeding 3 000cc “are too high” and has been reduced which is good news to the second hand motor vehicle dealers and car importers.

He said to encourage tax compliance; government has decided to reduce excised duty rates on motor vehicles,

“For new motor vehicles up to 8 years old, excise duty will be reduced from 55 percent to 40 percent; for motor vehicles aged above 8 years old up to 12 years, excise duty will be reduced from 88 percent to 60 percent; and for motor vehicles aged above 12 years old, excise duty will be reduced from 110 percent to 80 percent,” said the Finance Minister.

He announced removing tax on radio and television equipment “in order to improve information dissemination in Malawi.”

Excise duty on dry cell batteries that operate light torches and radios used by most Malawians, especially rural dwellers, has also been reduced from 30 percent to 10 percent.

Another tax measure announced by Gondwe was about small-scale cross border traders which will see the threshold value for entry of goods on Customs and Excise form 12 being increased from K100 000 to K500 000.

This, Gondwe said, will likely reduce the time spent at the port of entry for small and medium business people or travellers who import goods from our neighbouring countries, and is expected to support the ‘ease the cost of doing business’ initiative that Malawi government is undertaking.

Government has also revised the minimum fine in the Customs and Excise Act from K10 000 to K100 000 on importers of goods and services.

Gondwe told the House that there are several Taxation Act amendments which government is proposing.

“Exemption from capital gains tax for the transfer of property from an individual into a trust; Clarity on charging of interest. In this regard, MRA will now adopt the bank lending rate plus 5 percent.”

Gondwe said the tax body will levy a penalty if unremitted non-resident tax at 20 percent of the amount unremitted.

He said government wants an amendment to provide “clarity” on what constitutes re-organisation and qualified re-organisation in the taxation ac.

Gondwe also proposes an amendment to provide for the charging of income tax on deemed interest earned on interest-free loans and that the foregone income will be taxable in the hands of the lender.

The Finance Minister said the Taxation Act amendments will be presented to parliament through a bill.

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Young masamba
8 years ago

Zokomera achuma zimenezo!,kambani zoti wakumudzi athandizidwe,kod bwanji mwaiwala malonjezano athu aja?,tinapangana kuti muzizakamba zopanda mutuzo?,koma kuba basi!,osaiwalatu onse osakaza chuma chaboma azifa imfa yowawa kwambiri,(mateyu 16 v24)

Wamkulu
8 years ago

Reduce that 30% tax on the excess of 20,000 0n our salaries or increase the tax free band to 50,0000.,zinazo we r not going to benefit anything.

frazer
8 years ago

Goodell be serious, u mean u have reduced taxi on used cars and instead u hav introduced taxi on fone call, sms, facebook, whatsapp, tweeter, 2go, mixt nd so on…or.iam getting u wrong?

frazer chinomba
frazer chinomba
8 years ago

komanso m’maliro osayiwala kutolera ndithu

maks
maks
8 years ago

Malawi continues to retrogress while other countries like Rwanda are busy providing free browsing access to all. Nation of Zombies Malawi. What happened to all those DPP and Pitala lies about a good life for Malawians during campaigns? Muziona a Malawi. Ili ndi boma la azinkhalamba osowa ideas and vision apart from stealing our tax monies.

crazy stuff
crazy stuff
8 years ago

We are loosers in every way. The handful shall make money and the rest will suffer. Stupid psrliament

knowkeep
knowkeep
8 years ago

Osatenga tax mumatchalitchi ndi zikwati bwa? Tc

Imtiaz Big D
Imtiaz Big D
8 years ago

Mwafika nanzo pa umbva izi,mukatero muziba kukangula mangalimoto undula kumanga manyumba ife kumangotiyamwa basi.

chikoya
8 years ago

kuchepetsa tax on cars and tv eqpmt for the rich and introducing tax on smss,ndi kuchepetsa subsidy? kufinya wakumudzidi. paja anaika msonkho on offals at some point mmalo moika on sausages. zakumalawi.

Jihad John
8 years ago

Malawi ananokola nthawi ya Bakili beyond repair. Bingu tried but was lucky with the debt relief. Peter is here for a state funeral. There cannot be patriotism for someone who left the country in 1960 only to returned when his brother promised him the presidency. He came back to die.

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