KRA to double workers in race to meet tax target
Times Tower in Nairobi, the headquarters of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) plans to nearly double its workforce over the next three years with an eye on 40 per cent rise in tax collections.
The taxman says it will hire 6,604 more officers over the period to cater for a larger revenue collection of Sh2.65 trillion in the financial year 2023/24, up from Sh1.9 trillion in the current 2021/22 window. KRA currently has a workforce of 7,955.
The Customs and Border department will absorb the bulk of the new staff (3,572) followed by the Domestic Tax section that will open doors for an 1,920 additional workers.
“The focus will be to bridge the staff gaps as well as address gaps in critical and highly specialised skills” KRA said.
Staffing is a key competency for the taxman in a bid to improve revenue collection as KRA seeks to train workers, target specialised staff and enhance their integrity as well as keep a close eye on them through vetting and investigations.
As the government runs out of fiscal space and leeway to borrow, Kenya is leaning on the taxman to increase locally generated revenues that will meet the country’s expenditure.
KRA has recently enhanced vigilance that has seen it hit revenue targets improving economic environment as well as implementation of revenue enhancement initiatives.
The taxman surpassed its tax collection target in the four months to October by Sh27.09 billion, netting Sh631.03 billion between July and October, against a target of Sh603.94 billion - translating to a performance rate of 104.5 per cent.
KRA wants to solidify these gains by strengthening its capacity and wants the government to increase funding to meet growing expectations.
It has set sights on netting an extra two million taxpayers in three years through June 2024, targeting to collect Sh6.83 trillion — comprising Sh1.90 trillion this fiscal year, Sh2.27 trillion in 2022/23 and Sh2.66 trillion in the one ending June 2024.
KRA has identified real estate (landlords), high net-worth individuals, small-scale traders, especially those in informal settings and businesses operating online, among others, as sectors with high potential for growing revenue.
