Msonkho online live February 1
In a quest to enhance tax compliance, Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has announced that its online tax payment system, called Msonkho Online, will be effective from February 1.
The new system is expected to enable companies and individuals pay taxes at their convenience via the internet.
MRA officials have described the initiative as an effort to keep pace with the changing technological world and serve customers better.
This came out during a client interaction meeting that the Authority hosted in Blantyre on Thursday.
MRA Head of Corporate Affairs, Steven Kapoloma, said currently, tax payers with registration numbers should update their information through the Know Your Customer (KYC) system to access the Msonkho Online platform. “The platform will be available for familiarisation from the 16th [January]. All clients need to update their KYC but also all employers need to re-register their employees and present to the authority the workers National Identification Cards,” Kapoloma said.
He added: “This will enable every employee to have a tax number and access the online system and observe their Pay as you earn (Paye) proceedings.”
One of the business persons who attended the meeting, Augustine Ndalama, said the new system is welcome and more convenient.
“We go to MRA [offices] to do all the transactions, with the coming of this platform we will do it anywhere even abroad and we will be able to meet deadlines,” Ndalama said.
He, however, lamented poor internet services in the country.
MRA has indicated that it will place computers at its offices where clients can walk in and make online transactions.
The First Value Added Tax payment through Msonkho Online is expected on February 1, Paye on March 1, and all other taxes on June 1, 2020.
Mathews Kasanda is a journalist who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from University of Malawi (The Polytechnic).
In 2015, Media Institute of Southern Africa awarded him the Best Print Media Education Journalist of the Year accolade.
He joined Times Group Newsroom in September 2019.
