Full in-tray awaits new KRA boss as he takes office today

James Githii Mburu will formally take office today, replacing John Njiriani at the helm of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

Mr Mburu, who was appointed on June 6, will be tasked with the implementation of KRA’s seventh corporate plan 2018/19 to 2020/21, whose key focus is a 17.2 per cent annual revenue growth.

He takes over at a time when all eyes are on KRA as it seeks to close the ever-widening revenue gap that has led to an even bigger budget deficit for the country.

KRA had by the end of May collected Sh1.2 trillion, according to Deputy Commissioner Corporate Policy Maurice Oray.

This in effect rendered Treasury’s Sh1.6 trillion revenue target for the taxman in the  2018/19 financial year that ended yesterday unattainable.

The revenue shortfall was attributed to a marked decrease in collections from corporate tax.

Outgoing Commissioner-General Njiraini had said KRA projected it would miss the annual tax collection target set by Treasury by Sh110 billion.

Mr Mburu will also be tasked with restoring KRA’s battered image, at a time when several employees are facing charges of allegedly aiding tax evasion.

In its corporate plan, KRA says it seeks to collect about Sh6.1 trillion in three years, with the core revenues being the Exchequer revenues, Railway Development Levy and the Road Maintenance Levy Fund.

This fiscal year alone, the taxman is expected to raise close to Sh2 trillion of Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich’ spending plans. Of this, Sh1.66 trillion will go into recurrent expenditure.

The new boss, a former intelligence top-level manager at KRA, is also expected to spearhead the implementation of the Intelligence Gathering System that provides an anonymous reporting system to catch tax cheats.