KRA silent as Njiraini’s term comes to an end

KRA commissioner- general John Njiraini. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By GEORGE OMONDI

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Summary

• The KRA board is yet to officially launch the search for commissioner- general John Njiraini’s replacement two months after he attained the 60 years retirement age for civil servants.
• Mr Njiraini’s second term as chief tax collector comes to an on March 3.
• On Monday, neither Mr Njiraini nor board members responded to queries on KRA’s top position, signalling a repeat of the high-stakes lobbying that has come to shadow such appointments in recent years.

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) board Monday kept mum over the looming succession at the organisation’s apex with the looming exit of commissioner- general John Njiraini whose term comes to an end this week.

The KRA board is yet to officially launch the search for Mr Njiraini’s replacement two months after he attained the 60 years retirement age for civil servants.

Mr Njiraini’s second term as chief tax collector comes to an on March 3.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, then Finance minister, initially appointed Mr Njiraini as KRA commissioner-general in March 2012.

On Monday, neither Mr Njiraini nor board members responded to queries on KRA’s top position, signalling a repeat of the high-stakes lobbying that has come to shadow such appointments in recent years.

“This is to acknowledge receipt of your email and we are working on it,” the commissioner general’s office said in its response to a request for an interview. “We shall get back to you.” Further queries went unanswered. 

Both Mr Njiraini and KRA chairman Dr Edward Sambili did not respond to phone calls and text messages.

READ: Njiraini has no plan to extend KRA contract

The Employment and Labour Relations Court last month allowed Mr Njiraini to remain in office as activist Okiya Omtatah pushed on with a case seeking his removal on account of age.

Mr Omtatah had moved to court seeking to compel the KRA board of directors and Treasury secretary Henry Rotich to appoint an acting commissioner-general and commence recruitment of a substantive office holder.

Mr Njiraini has repeatedly stated that he has no intention of asking for an extension of his term.

At the KRA, Mr Njiraini is invariably described as a workaholic, who leveraged on technology to achieve an all-time high tax collection. 

READ: Njiraini to stay at KRA until court rules on retirement

From the 2011/12 full-year tax of Sh707.3 billion collected when he arrived, Mr Njiraini leaves KRA at a time when tax revenues are expected to have doubled at more than Sh1.4 trillion in the current financial year having realised Sh712.2 billion in the half year period ended December 2017.

Through the iTax platform, Mr Njiraini is credited with overseeing automation of filing of returns and paying of income tax.

Most recently, he presided over installation of the Integrated Customs Management System (iCMS), which is being integrated with iTax, to enable customs data sharing.

“The concept of a digital customs is anchored on KRA’s belief that technology holds the key to the successful management of all tax administration processes,” Mr Njiraini said in an opinion piece published two weeks ago.