KRA targets one million additional taxpayers

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has set its sights on adding one million taxpayers by year's end.

The taxman said it had 6.5 million taxpayers registered with its iTax system by the end of the tax returns filing on June 30.

KRA is betting on increased taxpayer engagement to enhance compliance in tax payment with 90 per cent of taxes collected yielding from voluntary compliance.

“We started our journey moving from 4.5 to 6.5 million and we are looking forward to about 7.5 million this year,” KRA Commissioner General Githii Mburu said.

At the same time, the tax man says it has welcomed recent discussions by the new administration on making KRA more ‘humane’ to the plight faced by taxpayers under financial difficulties.

This follows criticism of KRA’s role in the economy which many have termed as ‘playing undertaker’.

“We are in agreement fully with the new administration that taxes must be collected and taxes must be paid by all Kenyans. We have further agreed that for those Kenyans experiencing difficulty, we must adopt a different approach of empathising and walking with them,” Githii added.

“The transformation of KRA from an authority to a service is being driven by the new government. It is a good policy initiative which we support knowing that every citizen has an obligation to pay taxes,” said KRA Board Chairperson Amb. Francis Muthaura.

KRA is betting on taxpayer education to drive additional compliance in tax payments.

Further, the taxman is expected to engage taxpayers in financial constraints in a friendlier manner and reach settlement plans on pending tax arrears.

KRA meanwhile says it will work to get about two to three percent of non-compliant/’can’t pay won’t pay taxpayers’ and bring them to compliance.