President William Ruto has asked the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to inspire confidence in Kenyans to pay their taxes. He called on the authority to make their tax system simple, transparent, and fair to collect more.
The Head of State regretted that KRA had been sluggish in facilitating Kenyans to honor their tax obligation. He insisted that the inexplicable bureaucracies interrupting the upgrading of revenue administration technologies were a signal of underhand dealings.
“It suggests that arbitrary, opaque, and corruptible revenue collection methods are the preferred modus operandi.”
He made the remarks on Friday at Times Towers, Nairobi, where he filed his tax returns in the company of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and KRA Board Chairman Anthony Mwaura.
The President said KRA must undertake “serious and effective” culture change and adopt the best technologies to facilitate revenue mobilization.
He maintained that the authority must stop the tiresome drama of pretending to be fighting with stakeholders over new technology.
“You have to avoid irritating Kenyans with proposals to change names and tackle collusion and wanton bribe-taking that facilitate revenue leakages.”
Through radical transformation, President Ruto added, KRA stands to attain its full contribution.
Mr. Rigathi said the Government was keen on mobilizing local resources to drive its development agenda.
“We are weaning ourselves of foreign debts, which are choking us,” he said.