No service disruption, KRA says

Kenya Revenue Authority’s head office at Times Towers, Nairobi. KRA has said the iTax system is working [Image, Courtesy]

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has assured taxpayers that there is no service disruption in all its operations amidst media reports that it had “quietly” suspended some of the iTax functions.

“The iTax system is working and taxpayers should continue to file their returns and make payments,” KRA said on Wednesday.

A story published by one of the local dailies on Wednesday indicated that KRA management sent an internal memo to its staff informing them that it has temporarily suspended iTax functions, among them tax compliance certificate approvals, tax returns amendments, amendment of assessments and ledger amendments including capture of waiver penalties and interests.

The supposed suspension of the functions would inconvenience millions of Kenyans who file their returns through iTax. Last year, over 3.2 million taxpayers filed their returns through the system.

The taxman also denied allegations of ‘staff go slow’ saying “all customs and domestic taxes operations are ongoing” amidst the ongoing crackdown on rogue employees who help Kenyans evade paying taxes.

Last month, KRA interdicted 75 staff suspected of involvement in tax evasion and facilitating access to services through bribery and corruption.

Majority of the interdicted staff (61) were from Domestic Taxes Department. 14 are from the Customs and Border Control Department.

They are accused of facilitating irregular fraudulent clearance of cargo, fraudulent amendment of tax returns to help taxpayers evade taxes and irregular issuance of tax compliance certificates.”

KRA also announced it would intensify focus on lifestyle audits to undertake up to 50 such audit cases annually.

It said employees who cannot account for their wealth will be sacked and their property seized.