MRA takes over responsibility of collecting all international transit fees

The Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has taken over the responsibility of collecting International Transit Fees (ITF) from the Road Fund Administration (RRA), which has been responsible for all transit fees revenue collection from all the entry border stations across the country including Customs stations in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Blantyre.

Ralph Kamoto. MRA boss: We will be collecting transit fees
Ralph Kamoto. MRA boss: We will be collecting transit fees

The change follows an agreement signed by MRA and RFA at Mwanza Boarder station on November 28.

The International Transit Fees (ITF) is a road user charge on foreign registered trucks with a minimum of two axles, according to MRA.

The ITF is charged in foreign denominated currency (US Dollars) per 100 kilometers or part thereof travelled in Malawi.

“MRA will effectively, on agency arrangement, be responsible for all transit fees revenue collection from all the entry boarder stations across the country including its Customs stations in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Balntyre,” Raphael Kamoto, MRA Commissioner General.

Kamoto said the change has been necessitated to improve the business processes and streamline service access at the boarders in line with Malawi government’s strategy of a single window boarder.

“This will improve the ease of doing business in Malawi besides enhancing collection of the fees for the general improvement of road network in the country.

“The move is convenient to transporters as they will now be served under one roof with regard to Temporary Importation permit and Transit Fees thereby eliminating delays occasioned by the drivers moving between RFA and MRA offices at the boarder posts,” said Kamoto.

According to Kamoto, MRA will be using its automated system for customs data to capture, store and analyse and ITF transactions. This will minimize TIP abuse, store and default payment of transit fees.

This arrangement will enhance compliance because transporters will be required to pay transit fees before obtaining a Temporary Importation Permit.

Previously before the change over, the Road Fund Administration was collecting the transit fees at Mwanza, Dedza, Mchinji and Songwe boarder stations.

MRA was, on an agency arrangement, collecting the transit fees at Muloza, Marka, Biriwiri, Chiponde, Mqoha and Chitipa boarder stations.

The new arrangement expands MRS’s scope to cover all entryborder points in the country.

“MRA will use its enforcement instruments such as roadblocks and Flexible Anti-Smuggling Teams (FAST) to ensure that transporters comply with the law,” Kamoto emphasized.

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victim Chamkhuni Lwazazi
victim Chamkhuni Lwazazi
9 years ago

Why do Malawi roads not have meaningful weigh bridges? Foreign vehicles overload on Malawi roads, tearing our already poor roads and off-load at exit points in fear of weigh bridges there. And night road block policemen just go to the back of vehicles, including overloaded foreign buses, just to receive money and let them pass. Police bosses, if you are not corrupt, and acb officials, just deliberately travel in such night overloaded vehicles, including buses, and see what happens. It is the order of the night with foreign vehicle drivers/conductors just issuing already prepared money (sometimes in envelops) to waiting… Read more »

peter
peter
9 years ago

we need to know the contents of the agreement. there is more to it than the eye can see. mra will be collecting the fees on an agency agreement, why? MRA as an agent will be paid for this, and employees at rfa will be paid after mra has collected the fees, what a shame? is this not cashgate? the problem at rfa is the management which is not conversant with technology. I have been at songwe border, they manually issue a receipt for transit fees. your guess is good as mine. you know what you expect from manual system.… Read more »

Arthur G.M. Mtambo
9 years ago

SO MANY BODIES IN MALAWI ———-ALL FOR NOTHING,JUST AFTER MONEY. GVT LOOK INTO THIS AND FIND OUT THE SOLUTION TO REDUCE THEM AND PUT THEM AS YOU HAVE DONE WITH THIS ONE. POWER HUNGERY FOR NOTHING.

jiyan
jiyan
9 years ago

So whats the use of Roads Fund Adminstration then? dissolve it, its useless with poor and old management.

How on this earth an organisation like this be using manual collection of transit fees.

Parliament dissolve this body, if they can’t collect why should they manage the funds then?

Mhesha
9 years ago

MRA is amongst those few efficient government organisations so far. You try very hard. Keep it up Guys.

matapwata
9 years ago

Ankaona ngati nzopweka!

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