This archive report was first published on 1 July 2019.
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) had set a target of capturing returns from at least 4 million registered taxpayers, a 33.33% rise from 3.2 million recorded in 2017.
However, only 3.6 million taxpayers turned up for the exercise, resulting in a 12.5% increase in declarations compared to 2017.
The growth in numbers has been attributed to public awareness and the ease of use of the iTax system.
According to KRA, the 3.6 million taxpayers who filed their 2018 tax returns before the June 30, 2019 deadline represent a significant improvement from the 3.2 million who were captured in 2017.
"This improvement is attributed to the efficiency of the iTax platform and increased awareness campaign undertaken by the Authority encouraging the early filing of returns as well as on-site filing assistance extended to both individuals and organisations countrywide," KRA stated on July 1, 2019.
Despite missing its target by 400,000 clients, KRA noted that the growth in numbers shows positive progress in tax compliance, a move that will eventually drive the country towards economic self-reliance.
As the deadline approached, KRA Service Centres did not experience long queues as have been observed during previous years.
However, the authority maintained that penalties will be levied against those who avoided the process, with a penalty for late filing of annual returns for Income Tax Individual being KSh 2,000 or 5% of tax due, whichever is higher.
Kenya has 8 million registered tax payers on iTax, and KRA has urged Kenyans to file their returns early, beginning January of every calendar year, to avoid last minute rush that comes around the June 30 deadline.
