KRA boss Njiraini kicked out of parliamentary committee

KRA Director General John Njiraini displaying a document when he appeared before the National Assembly Public investment Committee at Parliament on March 29, 2018. [Photo by Boniface Okendo/Standard]

A parliamentary committee probing the procurement of Sh17 billion e-tax stamps yesterday threw out the Kenya Revenue Authority boss for failing to answer questions.

Director General John Njiraini (pictured) had been summoned to answer questions raised by Auditor General Edward Ouko on the procurement of a system that KRA awarded to a Swiss firm through single-sourcing.

Njiraini was expected to furnish the committee with Gazette notices of all the KRA audited accounts since 2012, and provide the status of implementation of the Excisable Goods Management System (EGMS).

Court ruling

The MPs also wanted to know the status of the implementation of the 2012 High Court ruling that paved the way for KRA to demand taxes on the sale of returnable bottles from soda firms.

Mr Njiraini's reluctance to provide the right documentation, citing a court case, angered the Public Investment Committee chairman, Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir. Njiraini’s contention that KRA could not provide the information because there was a court case on the matter did not go down well with the members, who said they did not think the information was prejudicial.

“You cannot hide behind courts to avoid answering our questions. I therefore rule that this has been a waste of taxpayers’ money and this matter cannot proceed. The proceedings stand adjourned and you are dismissed,” Mr Nassir ruled.