Rush to check tax compliance status after reports KRA monitors social media

Hundreds of locals await service at the KRA Mombasa Service Center. [Maarufu Mohamed, Standard]

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has reported a rise in the number of taxpayers rushing to verify their tax compliance status this week.

The rise has been attributed to reports attributed to KRA Commissioner General Githii Mburu published this week that the authority uses technology for tax compliance surveillance.

The reports detailed that the taxman is monitoring social media as well looking out for individuals who share their affluent lifestyle but are not among the six million taxpayers.

KRA Deputy Commissioner in charge of Marketing and Communications Grace Wandera said KRA uses technology that includes social media monitoring tools.

She explained that the adoption of technology to complement traditional revenue collection is geared at enhancing compliance efforts to ensure taxpayers file returns and pay correct taxes.

She singled out Kenyans on Twitter among other online content creators who have conceptualised witty content on KRA engagements with taxpayers, saying such posts influence tax compliance awareness.

“Within the confines of the law, we do apply social media scans among other technological tax compliance surveillance systems. This week, we have seen a more than 60 per cent rise in the number of tax compliance certificates applications lodged on the online I-Tax platform,” Wandera said.

As part of the KRA 8th Corporate Plan, the Authority, Wandera said, is progressively adopting technology to support revenue collection strategies.

It is expected that the exchequer revenue will rise from Sh1.76 trillion in 2021/22 to Sh2.5 trillion in 2023/24.

"The spike is commendable as it means taxpayers are willing to comply," she said.

Last month, KRA collected Sh154.383 billion against a target of Sh142.285 billion.