Why won’t KRA refund this taxpayer?

On November 28, 2008, Capt Bernard Nathaniel Odemba wrote to PointBlank complaining that Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) had turned his quest for a tax refund into a 16-year game of hide-and-seek (No tax refund since 1992). Odemba claimed the taxman owed him Sh928,827.

Despite our two reminders to KRA Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta last year, the authorities remained mum (Is our reader’s complaint too taxing to answer, February 5, and Tough task of getting response from taxman, March 17). However, according to allegations we published on September 1, Odemba said some officials were angry the issue had been published.

He now says the issue of tax file number 05/08/85840 is unresolved: "They cooked figures showing I owed KRA Sh323,711. But I sent copies of tax returns to prove my claims were genuine and challenged them to dispute the facts."

He alleges the taxman then wrote to Kenya Ports Authority, his employer, enquiring about some tax-free payments. This also turned out to be a dead-end.

"KRA has now decided to remain silent. I just wish this saga would end. It has dragged on for far too long," he says.