By Sellah Chunda

Mchinji, August 18: Authorities have reported that Mchinji One Stop Border Post will significantly contribute to enhancement of the country’s revenue collection.

This was revealed during a media engagement tour in Mchinji on Wednesday.

Speaking during the tour, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Christina zakeyu, highlighted Malawi's progress in generating revenue compared to previous years.

“Since the implementation of the One Stop Border Post, we have seen considerable improvements in revenue collection. In the past, we collected around one billion kwacha a month through the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), but this has now increased to over three billion kwacha monthly,” said Zakeyu.

Zakeyu said coordination among border agencies has also helped towards the improvement unlike previously, when they operated independently.

Zakeyu added to say more facilities are yet to come, as this is part of the COMESA project funded with 3.5 million euros.

"We have introduced new systems, including the operational Smart Gate. The processing time for travelers crossing the border has drastically reduced from eight days to just one or two days, which is a significant improvement.

"We are witnessing increased business activity from cross-border traders, and we view this project as a game changer," said Zakeyu.

Station Manager for MRA at the Mchinji One Stop Border Post, Tapiwa Mzunga, emphasized the role of the newly installed equipment in enhancing operational efficiency.

She said the equipment will help monitor how long goods take to clear through the One Stop Border Post and facilitate faster trade and movement of people.

However, Zakeyu noted that Malawi is still exporting fewer goods compared to imports from Zambia.

The Mchinji One Stop Border Post was launched to streamline and enhance cross-border trade between Malawi and Zambia.