Kenya Revenue Authority Fires 19 Over Corruption

KRA has continued its unwavering commitment to combat corruption within the agency, after dismissing 19 staff members in the second quarter of the financial year 2024/2025 (October–December), compared to nine (9) dismissals during the same period in the 2023/2024 financial year.

During this period, the number of staff cleared of charges or allegations dropped significantly to eight cases, compared to 23 in the previous financial year. This reflects the Authority’s firm stance on addressing integrity-related issues. Additionally, staff warnings saw a sharp decline, from 15 cases in Q2 of FY 2023/2024 to just 2, signaling a shift away from milder corrective actions. At the same time, stern warnings rose to 7 cases, up from 2, demonstrating KRA’s zero-tolerance policy towards corruption. The reported cases include dishonesty, lack of integrity, fraud, negligence of duty, absenteeism, conflict of interest, impersonation, and other ethical breaches.

This renewed focus is supported by the introduction of a series of robust measures aimed at upholding integrity, ensuring accountability, and restoring public confidence in the tax administration system.

The Benefit of Doubt category also saw an increase, growing to five (5) cases from two (2), reflecting a more lenient approach in certain circumstances, while the number of Caution cases remained steady at two (2).

KRA has harnessed technology to further seal revenue leakages. One key innovation is the launch of iWhistle, a web-based platform that enables the public to report corruption and tax evasion anonymously. During the period under review, KRA received 246 corruption reports through iWhistle, with tax estimates totaling KSh 4.39 billion.

To encourage the public to report corruption cases, KRA has incentivized the reporting of tax malpractices. KRA has introduced a reward scheme offering informers 5% of the tax recovered, with a maximum payout of KSh 5 million per case. Additionally, KRA has established an Integrity Award Framework to recognize and celebrate staff who demonstrate exceptional support for promoting integrity within the organization.

To further strengthen its anti-corruption efforts, KRA has implemented lifestyle audits, which have proven effective in identifying illicit wealth among staff. In the period under review, six lifestyle audits were conducted, and 117 staff members underwent the vetting process. Other key anti-corruption measures include profiling tax evaders and adopting a Whole of Government approach, promoting collaboration among public institutions to enhance compliance and curb tax evasion.

KRA has also embraced system reviews as a preventive and detective tool against corruption. This complements the provisions of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003, in examining public bodies’ systems. The review process leads to the revision of work procedures, policies, practices, and systems to minimize corruption opportunities. During the period, one system review was conducted on the Refunds and Debt Management process in the Domestic Taxes Department.

This come even after the KRA Commissioner General, Mr. Humphrey Wattanga, today held a strategic meeting with the Chief Executive Officer of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Mr. Abdi Mohamud, towards strengthening cooperation and synergy between the two agencies in the fight against corruption, money laundering, tax fraud, and tax evasion in Kenya.

During the meeting, the two agreed on leveraging synergies to improve intelligence sharing, conduct joint investigations, and develop complementary strategies to effectively tackle the challenges posed by corruption, tax fraud, and evasion.

“We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to those who abuse our systems,” said Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga. “Our collaboration with EACC is not just strategic; it is a moral imperative. We will establish a robust framework that not only deters tax evasion but also imposes strict penalties on those who facilitate such evasion, ensuring accountability for their actions.”

On his part, EACC CEO Abdi Mohamud underscored the critical role that KRA plays in the national economy, emphasizing the need to mitigate the threats that corruption poses to effective revenue administration. “This collaboration is crucial in expanding our efforts to eradicate corruption and uphold the rule of law. Together, we can foster an environment that discourages corrupt practices, tax evasion, and promotes ethical business conduct,” said Mr. Mohamud.

KRA reiterates its firm commitment to ensuring a corruption-free tax administration system that promotes accountability, transparency, and public trust.

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