Excise tax receipts decline that ushered Ruto reforms

Excise duty collections for the first half of the current financial year grew at a single digit for the first time in five years, excluding the pandemic period, catching the eye of President William Ruto and spurring fresh reforms.

Tax receipts from the sale of excisable goods such as beer, spirits, cigarettes, mineral water, juice, cosmetics, airtime and internet use rose 5.38 percent between July and December 2022, the latest data shows.