One million taxpayers yet to file returns as deadline looms
Times Tower, the headquarters of the Kenya Revenue Authority, in Nairobi.
About one million taxpayers are yet to file their tax returns, a week to the June 30 deadline.
The latest update from the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) indicates that only 3.8 million taxpayers had filed their returns by June 20, about 600,000 fewer than those who filed by June 30, 2020.
The number of filers has been growing by hundreds of thousands over the past few years and KRA projects that more than five million will file this year.
Last year, more than 4.4 million filed returns, compared with 3.6 million in 2019.
The filing for 2020 closes on Wednesday next week. In a statement Wednesday, KRA said it had enhanced its iTax system in preparation for high traffic and the usual last-minute rush.
“The Authority is promoting the use of digital channels, including the KRA M-Service App in light of the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, which has occasioned minimal visits to public places as a safety measure,” the agency said.
“KRA has also put in place the necessary measures to support taxpayers who may need assistance during the filing season virtually.”
The 3.8 million taxpayers who had filed returns by June 20 marked a 20 per cent increase from the 3.1 million who had filed by the same date last year.
Taxpayers can file their returns on the iTax system 24 hours a day. Service and contact centre opening hours have also been extended, said KRA’s marketing and communication deputy commissioner Grace Wandera.
Huduma Centres and service centres had registered a 71 per cent growth in the number of people seeking services compared to last year, she said.
Some 20,000 customers are served daily through its various channels, the agency said. It expects the numbers to soar as the deadline approaches.
The iTax portal can be accessed here.
