Economy

Kenyans filing tax returns double to 2.082 million

tax

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.

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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.