Finance Minister Sosten Gwengwe has summoned Second-Hand Motor Vehicle Traders to a meeting Friday.
The meeting follows an uproar by the traders and civil society organisations who have given Capital Hill seven days to reverse its decision of introducing new system of clearing second-hand motor vehicles.
In a letter to the Chairperson of the Second Hand Motor Vehicle Traders dated July 5 and signed by Secretary to Treasury MacDonald Mafuta Mwale, Capital Hill says the objective of the meeting is to get the views of the traders on the new system.
According to the letter, Gwengwe will meet three regional representatives of the traders from the North, South, Centre and East at 2pm tomorrow.
On Tuesday, the Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) gave the government a seven-day ultimatum to engage stakeholders and address the issue of import duty on vehicles.
In a statement, HRDC described the recently released taxes by Malawi Revenue Authority on vehicles as not fair, unreasonable and punitive.
“The introduction of additional unrealistic taxes on vehicle importation exacerbates the financial strain on the populace, leading to further economic hardships,” the statement reads.
HRDC Chairperson Gift Trapence told The Daily Times on Tuesday that they believe the country will not be able to develop with such taxes.
Forum for National Development (FND) also joined the cause, warning the Lazarus Chakwera-led government will leave a bad legacy if the decision is not stopped immediately.
In a statement signed by FND Chairperson Bright Kampaundi and National Coordinator Fryson Chodzi, they demand that the new duty calculation regime be reviewed and withdrawn.
