Of tax default, and not-too-intelligent AI tools at KRA issuing 'matusi' messages night and day

Times Tower building that hosts the Kenya Revenue Authority offices in Nairobi. [File, Standard]

I have been inundated with emails (eight at the last count), titled: “Payment defaulter for obligation income tax—Resident Individual…”The message stated:

“This is to inform you that, (sic) you have not paid tax of 2,000 (Ksh) for the (sic) Obligation Income Tax—Resident Individual… Kindly pay your tax within the next 10 days (sic) ending on 11/7/2025, failure to which (sic) will attract penalty/interest…”

I have always had my suspicions that those who excel in math somehow can’t string a sentence together, but I didn’t know the degree of incompetence at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) was atrocious.

I still don’t know what those folks were trying to convey, even after reading their note for the umpteenth time.

It could be that they were using an Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool that wasn’t too intelligent to convey that a surcharge of Sh2,000 was due because I had filed my annual tax returns “late” by a few hours.

This is my suspicion because the notice landed in my mailbox at the same time as a confirmation of the filing of my tax returns.

The same entity that was sending the irritating emails published a notice, in pretty decent language, that it had extended filing dates by five days, to July 5, 2025.

The reason for the extension was that there was a virtual system shutdown most of June 30, 2025, as all last-minute strugglers like yours truly sprinted to file before deadline.

But since KRA folks were too busy counting beans, they have not had the chance to deactivate the automated messaging system that continues to harass “defaulters” of this invented “lateness” fee.

By this public notice, let it be known that I have no intention of paying the stated amount of Sh2,000 within the stipulated period.

So KRA can rightfully apply the term of “defaulter” in their future correspondence.