Minister Mwanamveka at the launch today
* Embrace it with pride, fairness, and strict professionalism — the fiscus and the nation depends on you
* To our taxpayers: your contribution is the lifeblood of our nation’s development — paying taxes is not just a legal duty, it is an act of patriotism
By Duncan Mlanjira
When launching the 2026-2031 Corporate Strategic Plan of the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) this Monday morning, Minister of Finance, Economic Planning & Decentralisation Joseph Mwanamveka called for collective action in its execution by all Malawians.
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The Minister implored on the MRA staff the Plan is their guide and their challenge — thus they should “embrace it with pride, fairness, and strict professionalism.
“The fiscus and the nation depends on you,” he emphasised. “Let me remind you that you are not just processing figures but you are building Malawi.
“To our taxpayers: your contribution is the lifeblood of our nation’s development — paying taxes is not just a legal duty, it is an act of patriotism. I, therefore, thank you for your ongoing compliance.
“We vow to remain collaborative, transparent and accountable, to listen through various forums and more importantly to streamline your commercial ecosystem.”
He also had a word for the country’s development partners, asking them to continue to stand with the government as is modernises and strengthen the revenue systems.
Mwanamveka stressed that Government aspires “to progressively strengthen Malawi’s domestic revenue capacity, including raising our tax-to-GDP ratio toward the 20% threshold”.
“Achieving this milestone requires an enduring partnership among the Government, development partners, the MRA, taxpayers, businesses and the general public.
“I, therefore, call upon all taxpayers to fulfil their obligations fully, accurately, and on time, and to embrace the modern digital services being introduced by the Authority. Specifically, I urge all businesses and taxpayers to fully adopt the Electronic Invoicing System (EIS) to help the government properly account for value-added tax (VAT) revenues.”
He disclosed that last week, he made an unannounced visits to two of MRA stations in Lilongwe and Mchinji, saying: “What I witnessed was highly encouraging. I saw dedicated revenue and Customs officers working tirelessly to simplify compliance for taxpayers.
“The Authority is investing immense effort into digitising its operations to ensure revenues are efficiently accounted for, allowing taxpayers to file returns and make payments from the comfort of their offices.
“This strategy is geared toward a future where we can confidently declare that the days of cumbersome paperwork are officially over. I look forward to the day very soon when taxpayers can access their Tax Clearance Certificates instantly and experience seamless system and network availability, timely processing of their import or export declarations.”
To that end, the Minister urged MRA to ensure that the performance of the 2026-2031 Corporate Strategic Plan is monitored rigorously on a quarterly basis” — emphasising that the strategic targets “must be cascaded down to individual officers, ensuring everyone has measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) that serve as a clear baseline for personal accountability”.
To the MRA Board, management and staff the Ministers stressed that “the Government expects strong leadership, prudent resource management, and absolute accountability in executing this blueprint”.
“This Corporate Strategic Plan must not remain a mere document on a shelf — it must translate into tangible, measurable improvements in revenue mobilisation, taxpayer service, compliance, trade facilitation, and institutional efficiency.”
He stated that President Arthur Peter Mutharika’s administration “will leverage this plan as an important institutional cornerstone to boost domestic resource mobilization, thereby powering our National Economic Recovery Plan (NERP) and our long-term development vision, the MW2063”.
“Behind every revenue target are real lives. Increased domestic revenue means more classrooms, better-equipped hospitals, safer roads, and more opportunities for our youth. This plan is about ensuring that the benefits of growth are felt in every village, town, and city.”
Mwanamveka also touched on the problems currently being faced, which the government is aware of — that include tax evasion, illicit financial flows, and limited participation from certain sectors.
“This Corporate Strategic Plan responds with targeted enforcement, smarter use of data, seamless compliance and a culture of voluntary compliance built on fairness and trust.”
He thus commended the MRA Board and management “for their foresight; the dedication of the staff who work tirelessly to serve our nation; and the unwavering support from our development partners.
“This achievement is the result of collective effort and shared commitment. The true measure of this strategic plan will be the tangible improvements in the lives of Malawians.
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“Let us ensure it becomes a living, breathing framework that drives action, inspires confidence, and delivers results. Government cannot build this economy alone, and neither can business.
“But by working together through an honest, efficient tax system, we can ensure shared prosperity for every Malawian.”
In his remarks, MRA Commissioner General, Felix Tambulasi amplified that the strategic plan will in the next five years “strengthen revenue mobilisation, improve taxpayer service, enhance digital transformation and continue building a modern and responsive revenue administration”.
He also highlighted that the plan marks the first time MRA is showcasing research undertaken by its own staff: “We aspire to build an MRA that not only administers taxes but also learns from its data, generates knowledge and applies research to strengthen tax administration and inform policy.
“Building on this inaugural initiative, the Authority intends to hold a Research Day and publish a research magazine annually, thereby strengthening evidence-based decision making across the Authority.”
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