Leadership instability has hit the Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA), with the taxi collector now losing three commissioners general (CGs) in roughly three years.
The Nation has established that MRA board of directors on Friday confirmed the appointment of accountant and tax analyst Thom Malata as new CG, replacing Ralph Kamoto.
Kamoto has returned to Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (Mera) as chief executive officer (CEO), barely a year after he was engaged at the public tax collector by the Peter Mutharika administration.
Chief Secretary to the Government George Mkondiwa on Tuesday confirmed Malata’s appointment and that he was expected to report for duties once discussions on contractual agreements were completed.
Malata, a former CEO for Premium Tama Tobacco Limited until he resigned to concentrate on private consultancy work, becomes the fourth CG to head MRA since 2012 after Lloyd Muhara who was removed by former president Joyce Banda and replaced by banker John Biziwick, who was then booted in July last year by Mutharika and replaced by Kamoto.
Said Mkondiwa yesterday: “I can confirm that I have been briefed that the board [MRA] indeed met and confirmed his [Malata] appointment. They will be holding contractual discussions and once that is done, he will report for duties. I am sure that should be done as soon as possible. However, it will depend if they agree on the ingredients of the contract.”
However, sources confided in The Nation that Kamoto is returning to Mera as CEO, but with all his contractual benefits he was receiving at MRA just as was the case with Biziwick whose contract was reported to be running up to 2017.
When asked about Biziwick’s contract position, Mkondiwa referred The Nation to MRA board chairperson Evelyn Mwapasa whose board, he said, was handling the matter.
Biziwick also declined to comment on Tuesday and referred the issue to MRA, but Mwapasa was not readily available after several attempts.
Kamoto bade farewell to MRA staff on Monday.
Meanwhile, deputy CG Roza Mbilizi has been appointed acting CG while the body finalises discussions with Malata.
