Kenyans Rush to File Tax Returns with Only One Day Remaining

Friday, 30^th June marks the deadline for filing tax returns that had been set by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

A total of 1.8 million Kenyans has already filed their tax returns, a number that happens to be higher as compared to 1.1 million Kenyans who filed their returns within the same period last year. According to the taxman, they have been processing an average of 90,000 filings on a daily basis since the process began.

The Chief Manager Taxpayer Services Nairobi Region, Judith Njagi said that they have been able to carry out a lot of ground sensitization in educating the public on how to go about the process of filing their returns.

“We have done ground sensitization, as well as TV and Radio talk shows to educate taxpayers on how to file their returns, the benefit of filing the returns and the need to file the returns early enough to avoid last-minute inconveniences,” said Njagi.

Apart from TV and Radio shows, KRA went further and intensified awareness campaigns through mobile tax clinics launched in Nairobi early April and through collaboration with employers to issue P9 forms to facilitate taxpayers in filing their returns. Early this month, the KRA also extended its working hours at all iTax support and Huduma centers countywide.

The extension applied to all iTax related services in the 44 Huduma Centres and 24 iTax Support Centers countrywide. Unlike last year where a number of Kenyans were unable to file their returns online hence blaming KRA’s systems, this year the taxman’s system has been up most of the time.

Njagi added that with the last minute rush by Kenyans so as not to be locked out, a number of challenges tend to be faced by the taxman. He, however, noted that they have been able to serve Kenyans efficiently as compared to the previous year where their systems broke down.

The Treasury expects KRA to collect a total of 1.7 trillion shillings in ordinary revenue in the financial year 2017-18 from July. Kenyans who will not have filed their taxes will face a fine 20,000 shillings as had earlier on been stated by KRA.