Ruto revokes CS Ndung'u's KRA board appointments, names new directors
President William Ruto presents a copy of the Ministerial Performance Contracts for FY 2023/2024 to Ministry of National Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary Prof Njuguna Ndung’u at State House on August 1, 2023.
What you need to know:
- The five whose appointments were revoked are Darshan Shah, Wilkister Simiyu, Fancy Too, Michael Kamau and Samir Ibrahim.
- The KRA Board provides strategic leadership and direction to the tax agency, as well as a governance framework to ensure that it meets its obligations.
President William Ruto has revoked the appointment of five Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) board members who were appointed by Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung'u in January this year.
The five whose appointments were revoked are Darshan Shah, Wilkister Simiyu, Fancy Too, Michael Kamau and Samir Ibrahim.
In a gazette notice dated December 13, Dr Ruto has instead appointed Hadi Sheikh Abdullahi, Richard Ndung'u, Lydia Cherono and Amolo Ngweno to the positions.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 7 (3) of the State Corporation Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces appoint, Hadi Sheikh Abdullahi, Richard Ndung’u, Lydia Cherono and Amolo Ngweno to be members of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Revenue Authority,” reads the gazette.
Strategic leadership
According to the gazette notice, the appointments will be effective for three years from January 13, 2023.
The KRA Board is responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction to the tax agency, as well as a governance framework to ensure that it meets its obligations. It is chaired by the Board Chairperson, Anthony Mwaura.
The members also provide oversight of the effective discharge of key functions of the tax agency against the agreed performance indicators.
President Ruto has been putting pressure on the taxman to meet its revenue targets to fund Kenya Kwanza's development agenda. He has also urged the agency to be courteous and treat Kenyans with dignity as it pushes to meet its revenue targets.
Revenue collection targets
The appointment comes after the KRA failed to meet its annual revenue collection targets amid the tough economic times and the falling value of the shilling against the dollar.
Between July and November this year, the agency collected Sh963.7 billion, which represents 34.6 per cent of the Sh2.787 trillion target for the 2023/2024 financial year.
In a similar period, last year, KRA collected Sh856.6 billion, representing 40 per cent of the 2.145 trillion annual target for the year.
