MRA demands Zodiak pay K1.7bn alleged unpaid tax
Malawian tax authorities on Wednesday stormed privately-owned Zodiak Broadcasting Station (ZBS) in Lilongwe and asked one of the country’s biggest media firm to settle its unpaid taxes or face shut down, Nyasa Times understands.
The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) which last year closed offices of the country’s biggest media firm, the Times Group, which was critical of the government and investigated controversial maize contracts, are claiming K1.7 billion in unpaid taxes from Zodiak, according to sources.
They have been moved to act after the corridors of power have not been happy with Zodiak in airing live political rallies of Vice President Saulos Chilima and his United Transformation Movement (UTM) which are paid for.
“MRA has demanded the unpaid tax to be paid or they will shut down the radio and television,” said the source.
Observers fear government is taking systematic steps to suffocate the media ahead of the next year’s elections.
MRA has been asked to allow for a progressive means of resolving any tax issues, including giving the media institution a chance to pay in installments their tax arrears.
The tax authority and government were not immediately available to comment.
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Being punished for beaming utm rallies.
Zodiak please pay our TAX, just PAY siza witch hunting nso lipilani else u dont have the moral ground to appear like ndinu achilungamo
Indians are owing tax but they are targeting Zodiac. Apumbwa.com
The amount is astounding! Aaaah. Zodiac and Times Group the lowest of the scum in tax cheating! They thrive of the vicious cycle; the simplest forms of which is like this:- they criticize the government while avoiding paying their fair share of taxes – level of government services goes down – people become less satisfied with government – this then generates more criticism – which nevertheless imposes some sort of authenticity in the said media. Worst hypocrites! And while the rest of us are propping up the country! Tears will not be shed if they shut down – it’s their… Read more »
Which government? Have we got one in Malawi? I don’t think so. If Government is abusing our taxes then how can the citizens be encouraged to pay tax,.
Iwe @ Keen Observer:
Izi si zamasewera olo kusekesa apa. This is serious! Get that?
Obviously, “government” here means the people or Malawians. Not foreign aliens or DPP or APM!
Simple as that.
Hmmm Malawi……. Zodiac doesn’t want to pay tax. Times Group of MCP also doesn’t want to pay tax. Malawi media…….I am really short of words to describe your hypocrisy. But day in day out you say Malawi government squanders “your hard earned money”. Yet you know you don’t pay tax hahahaha. When you are asked to pay tax you propagandize: “political witch hunting”. What a case country Malawi is! A country whose citizens don’t respect their own laws is always doomed to fail.
Its a good move Zodiak.better pay taxes when they will be put to good use. Apumbwa achuluka kudzikoku
When it comes to paying taxes I have no kind words for evaders. Nonetheless I don’t support selective methods used by MRA. There are billions owed by DPP gurus but these are left scot free and we know about them when they fall out of favour with the powers that be.
We don’t want you to know about them, you must know them. so if you know them, why don’t you report them? You yourself, you are not doing our country any good. voetsek mtete!
Zochita kutumidwa izi.MRA ikufuna kunena zoti simadziwa kuti Zodiak ili ndi ngongole mpaka kufika K1.7billion ndiye akanene lero kuti ayitseka chifukwa cha ngongole.Mukayambe kutenga kaye K145 million kwa Prince of thieves(peter muntharika)chifukwa imene ijanso ndindalama yochokera ku misonkho.Komatu musamayiwale kuti chinawuluka chinatera.
ZBS -dzipelekani misonkhoyo pls ndiye dziko lidziyenda bwanji ngati mukuzemba kulipila misonkho?
makwala mudzipatalamu ndalama zake ndizimenezotu
How does MRA allow people to accumulate such huge tax arrears. that means somebody somewhere was not doing his job or they were receiving bribes not to collect.
Now u are talking ,really it seems someone is not showing up his responsibility somewhere