Currently operating on an extended term since the end of the second three-year term back in March 2018, Mr John Njiraini is set to exit the Times Tower corner office. Information from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) board chairman Francis Muthaura stated in a recent interview. His sentiments reflecting the board’s, means the top taxman has only four months in office and he will exit come end of June 2019.
While dismissing fears of a potential vacuum in the taxman’s leadership, the Board Chair further clarified that they are not yet under pressure to pick Mr. Njiraini’s replacement, as they still have enough time. This announcement marks the official start of the succession race which had been momentarily postponed a year earlier after the end of the chief taxman’s contract in early 2018.
During Mr. Njirani’s term, KRA has recorded increase in tax compliance amid pressure from the national treasury setting targets that KRA have perennially missed, with over 60% of the collected revenue going into the government’s recurrent expenditure while development projects suffer funding shortfalls. This is a challenge that will top the incoming Commissioner-General’s in-tray as soon as he/she steps into the much coveted office.
Re-organization is already taking place within KRA and the board, chaired by Mr. Muthaura has made a number of high profile recruitments which they unveil at their own discreet timing. Recently, the Board unveiled Mr Kevin Safari as the new Commissioner for Customs and Border Control. KRA’s 3-Year Plan is to almost double the Taxpayer Base which currently stands at 3.94 million to 7 million by June 2021.
They hope to achieve this goal by leveraging on ICT with platforms such as the online tax filing system, iTax, and the Integrated Custom Management System (ICMS) that provides real time monitoring of goods at border points. They look to increase intelligence on homes and businesses to raise compliance up to 65%. The exiting Commissioner-General had issued a warning earlier this year, of the expected target collection shortfall.
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