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KRA now clarifies tax 'harassment' of travellers
Times Tower in Nairobi, the headquarters of Kenya Revenue Authority.
The Kenya Revenue Authority has said that it will only tax purchased goods above Sh75,000 ($500) when passengers return to the country, clarifying its earlier statement that goods worth more than that amount, whether new or old, will be taxed.
In a post on the taxman's X platform on Wednesday, KRA acting deputy commissioner for policy and international affairs David Ontweka clarified that contrary to what was previously communicated, not every item coming back into the country would be taxed.
“When you return (to the country) you come with your clothes and bags that you left with but when you purchase goods of value of 500 USD (approx.Sh75,000) which are more than one, you are required to declare the rest for purposes of tax,” Mr Ontweka said.
The clarification comes after Kenyans expressed their displeasure at how they are often treated by KRA customs officers at the airport when they return to the country with their personal and purchased items.
A day before the KRA deputy commissioner's clarification, the taxman had informed Kenyans on its social media pages that it would tax all goods brought back into the country.
It was a statement that sparked outrage among Kenyans, with many saying the goods they were bringing back had already been taxed at the point of sale, meaning they were being taxed twice and being forced to part with huge sums of money at airport customs points on arrival.
It was so serious that the Senate Majority Leader, Aaron Cheruiyot, waded into the matter and called on the National Assembly Finance Committee to alleviate what he called a "national shame" that is KRA searches at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
He urged the committee to provide the necessary clarity to distinguish between goods for commercial ventures and personal items.
The matter was also discussed by the National Assembly's Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee, where members expressed concern that some KRA officers were taking advantage of the policy to harass tourists, bringing bad publicity to the country.
Belgut MP Nelson Koech, who chairs the committee, said it was ill-advised to harass visitors at a time when the country is ailing economically and doing its best to woo visitors to Kenya.
While there are laws that limit the amount of goods one can bring into Kenya, Mr Koech said this provision should not be used as an excuse to threaten passengers, harass travellers or invade their privacy.
“KRA should make it easy for travellers coming to Kenya to declare their luggage and where necessary, pay duty before landing,” he said.
Barely two weeks ago, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Dr Alfred Mutua claimed that the mistreatment of tourists by KRA officials was one of the reasons for the decline in tourists visiting the country.
“You go to Rwanda; they do not harass you. Does Rwanda not collect taxes? You go to South Africa and they do not harass you. In Dubai, they do not harass you. So, why do our visitors face such challenges? And we wonder why people are not coming to Kenya?” he posed.
