KRA on the spot over poor record of taxes

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is on the spot over poor records on VAT refunds, uncollected taxes and unaccounted for jet fuel.

The National Assembly’s Public Investments Committee (PIC) prematurely ended its meeting with KRA Commissioner-General Githii Mburu on Tuesday to allow him put tin order his responses and accompanying paperwork.

“We will adjourn and allow your team, together with our clerks to arrange this presentation for ease of follow up by MPs. The annexes backing this presentation is jumbled up and it is very difficult for us to follow the annexes the way they have been arranged,” Mr Nassir ruled.

Mr Mburu is expected to face MPs Wednesday morning to provide answers as to why Jet A1 fuel delivered from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) to Wilson Airport with exempt excise duty amounting to Sh296.8 million could not be accounted for.

Former Auditor-General Edward Ouko in an audit says there were no records maintained at Wilson Airport showing how the Jet A1 fuel received at the station was delivered.

“Further, it was noted that the officers at JKIA relied on hard copies of entries (C421s) stamped by officers at Wilson Airport as evidence of receipt of fuel at Wilson Airport rather than posting them electronically through the Simba System,” the audit states.

As a result, the auditor said 51,573,129 litres of Jet A1 fuel delivered from JKIA to Wilson Airport with exempt excise duty amounting to Sh296.8 million could not be accounted for.

Mr Mburu will also provide answers on the irregular release of fuel (Jet A1) warehoused at the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Embakasi depot.