MPs demand details of new staff in KRA recruitment

KRA Times Tower

Times Tower, the Kenya Revenue Authority's head office in Nairobi. MPs want KRA to furnish them with a list of people it hired during its recent recruitment of officers in the customs tax department.

Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group

MPs want the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to furnish them with a list of people it hired during its recent recruitment of officers in the customs tax department.

The National Assembly Committee on Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers has told the taxman to provide it with details of the people who were successful and the criteria it used to arrive at the final list.

The committee said it wants to determine whether KRA was fair and offered people from across the country an opportunity to work there. Committee chairperson Lydia Haika (Taita Taveta) told KRA officials the details should be provided by next week.

The question was raised by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino, who wanted to know whether KRA only recruited from Nairobi or also picked people from other parts of the country. “Recently, you advertised for vacancies. Did you just recruit from Nairobi or you extended to other places?” Mr Owino asked. He said the recruitment should cater for all people and should not only be focused on Nairobi.

Acting KRA Commissioner for Customs and Border Control Pamela Ahago told MPs that they will provide the details later.

Ms Ahago said those who were successful have already reported for training but not all have turned up. “Some have already reported for training which is ongoing in Eldoret. However, not all have reported,” Ms Ahago said.

She told the lawmakers that vacancies were open to everyone and those who were successful were picked from across the country.

In May, KRA announced through its website the recruitment of various officers in the domestic taxes department.

"KRA is seeking result-oriented, self-driven individuals with high integrity to fill the vacant positions in the Domestic Taxes Department,” the notice said.

"The gross salary attached to this position is Sh53, 500 subject to applicable statutory deductions," it added.

According to the advertisement, interested candidates were required to be Kenyan citizens aged between 18 years to 30 years and should be holders of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education or International General Certificate of Secondary Education with a minimum grade of C Minus.

The taxman had also directed that all applications should be done online and submitted on or before Monday, May 15.