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KRA boss gets powers to pick deputies in law amendments
Humphrey Wattanga Mulongo takes an oath of office as the new Commissioner General at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) at the Supreme Court of Kenya on August 24, 2023.
Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) commissioner-general has been handed powers to appoint deputies in changes that strip the role from the board and consolidate the strengths of the taxman’s chief executive.
Until now, the appointment of KRA commissioners and other key officers of the authority has been vested on the board.
The change in the appointing authority is expected to create a powerful commissioner-general who will be able to create a team of his choice, represented by the deputy commissioners. The transition formed part of new amendments to the Finance Bill 2024, which was adopted in Parliament on Tuesday.
The amendment to the Kenya Revenue Authority Act will take effect once the Finance Bill, as carried in the National Assembly, is assented to by President William Ruto.
Changes to the appointing authority are expected to be ushered in the backdrop of the restructure to KRA’s corporate suite following the entry of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
In February last year, KRA Commissioner General Githii Mburu resigned after a three-year and seven months’ stint at the helm of the taxman in a shakeup that had been preceded by the installation of a new chairman in Anthony Mwaura.
Mr Mburu opted to cut short a fresh five-year term after friction with the new administration and changes to the board which had brought in an assertive chairman.
In further changes, the board named Pamela Ahago as a replacement to Rispah Simiyu at the domestic taxes unit in acting capacity as Ms Simiyu was promoted to hold forte at the helm on an interim basis.
Additionally, David Mwangi was appointed as the acting Commissioner of Customs and Border Control, David Yego as Commissioner of Intelligence, Strategic Operations, Investigations and Enforcement and Nancy Ng’etich as the acting Commissioner of Corporate Support Services.
In August last year, the board of KRA appointed Humphrey Wattanga as the new Commissioner General after a lengthy competitive process, snapping him up from the investment banking arm of the Meghraj Group where he served as the Managing Director of Meghraj Group.
Mr Wattanga is currently flanked by Rispah Simiyu who returned to her post as the Commissioner of Domestic Taxes, Dr. Lilian Nyawanda-Commissioner, Customs and Border Control and David Yego, Commissioner- Investigations and Enforcement.
Others are Paul Matuku, Commissioner Legal Services and Board Coordination, Alex Mwangi, Acting Commissioner Strategy, Innovation and Risk Management, Dr. Mugambi Mwirigi- Commissioner, Kenya School of Revenue Administration (Kesra) and Nancy Ng’etich- Acting Commissioner, Corporate Support Services Department.
