Chakwera’s Tonse Govt bows down on punitive second-hand vehicle duty review

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse Alliance government has bowed down to public pressure on the newly introduced fixed duty on imported vehicles and has since called for an interface meeting with the secondhand motor vehicle traders.

Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs Sosten Gwengwe will preside over the meeting with the traders on Friday, July 7, 2023 at Capital Hill in Lilongwe.

A letter dated July 5, 2023, and signed by Secretary to the Treasury, MacDonald Mwale, says the objective of the meeting is to get the traders’ views on the newly introduced system of clearing second-hand vehicles with Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA).

The meeting comes a day after civil rights groups including Forum for National Development (FND) and Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) gave the government a seven-day ultimatum to rescind its decision or face unspecified action.

Maravi Post Reporter

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