Taxpayers queue at the KRA National Tax Support Centre at the Railways Club in Nairobi on June 28, 2017. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU
About 2.082 million Kenyans have filed
their tax returns a day before the June 30 deadline, marking the first
time the number has crossed the two million mark.
This
is against 1.1 million Kenyans who filed their returns within the same
period last year. The Kenya Revenue Authority has been processing 90,000
filings every day. KRA estimates the figure will hit 160,000 returns
per day as the deadline comes to a close on Friday.
“The
iTax system has been synchronised with the Integrated Financial
Management Information System (IFMIS). This has enabled us to bring on
board suppliers who have been doing business with the government and not
declaring their returns,” said Judith Njagi, Chief Manager Taxpayer
Services Nairobi Region.
The taxman has intensified
awareness campaigns through mobile tax clinics launched in Nairobi in
early April and by withholding tax on rental income.
The
government, through the Finance Act 2016, introduced a withholding tax
of 10 per cent on gross rent payable to landlords, effective January
2017.
This
was meant to facilitate collection of tax on rental income by
appointing agents or tenants who occupy both commercial and residential
premises.
The appointed agents are required by law to withhold
the tax and remit it to KRA via iTax by the 20th day of the following
month. Early this month, KRA also extended its working hours in all
iTax support centres and Huduma centres countywide.
All
Huduma centres have been operating Monday to Friday from 7:30am to 6pm
and Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. iTax support centres have been opening
Monday to Friday from 7am to 9pm and Saturdays from 8am to 10pm.
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