The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner-General has received powers to appoint deputies, in fresh changes approved in Parliament.
The changes carried in amendments to the Kenya Revenue Authority Act move the powers to appoint the deputies from the board.
The board, however, retains an oversight role in the deputies’ appointment, by requiring the approval of the board on the Commissioner-General’s appointees.
Initially, the Kenya Revenue Authority (Amendment) Bill proposed that the Commissioner-General appoints the deputies but failed to specify the means of appointment.
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwa wanted to scrap the proposal to have KRA Commissioner-General appoint deputies, but dropped the change at the last minute in favour of Kuria Kimani’s amendment, allowing the oversight of the board in the appointing process.
“Having consulted with the chair of the Finance and Planning Committee (Kuria Kimani), I have dropped my amendment in favour of his,” he said.
KRA deputy commissioners serve beneath commissioners, heading various divisions under KRA such as marketing and communications and supply chain management, according to the taxman’s corporate structure.
The KRA Board of Directors sit at the helm of the organisation above the Commissioner-General, who oversees units headed by commissioners including domestic taxes, customs and border, corporate support services, strategy, innovation & risk, legal services & board coordination.
Other broad units at KRA include intelligence and strategic operations, investigations & enforcement, regional coordination and the Kenya School of Revenue Administration.
The Commissioner-General of KRA is meanwhile appointed by the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary upon the recommendation of the board and oversees the day-to-day operations of the Authority.
Humphrey Wattanga is the current Commissioner-General having been appointed in August 2023.
He is flanked by Rispah Simiyu (Commissioner Domestic Taxes), Dr Lilian Nyawanda (Customers & Border Control), David Yego (Investigations & Enforcement) and Paul Matuku (Legal Services & Board Co-ordination).
Other commissioners are Alex Mwangi (acting-Strategy Innovation & Risk Management), Dr Mugambi Mwririgi (Kenya School of Revenue Administration) and Nancy Ng’etich (acting-Corporate Support Services).
