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'How to file nil tax returns' tops Kenya's internet searches

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A person prepares to search the Internet using the Google search engine. AFP PHOTO | FILE

"How to file nil [tax] returns" emerged the top trending internet searches on Google in the "How to..." list in Kenya this year.

This was followed by "How to check KCPE results," "How to write an application letter," and "How to make money online."

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in April released a new digital form that makes it easier to track down people trying to evade taxes by filing ‘Nil’ income tax returns.

The new form — effected through a reconfiguration of the KRA online tax filing platform, iTax — requires filers of nil income tax returns to explicitly declare that they do not have any other source of income.

Information on the document is expected to help the KRA better profile taxpayers in order to fish out evaders.

Top searches

Overall, FIFA World Cup 2018 topped the list of trending internet searches on Google, which were mainly dominated by events and personalities.

The four year event which took place in Russia between June 14 and July 15 took the top spot in the trending searches, as people went online to find out more about their favourite teams and players.

Aside from football, Kenyans were interested about the gruesome murder of Rongo University student Sharon Otieno.

The second-year student, who was pursuing a degree in Medical Records and Information at Rongo University, was found dead at Kodera forest in Migori country on September 5, a day after she and Nation journalist Barrack Oduor were abducted. Mr Oduor escaped from a moving vehicle.

Other terms that made to the top 10 trending searches include ‘Miguna Miguna’, ‘KCPE 2018 results’, ‘Alexis Sanchez’, ‘Samantha’, ‘Avicii’, ‘Jackie Maribe’, ‘Black Panther’ and ‘Rose Muhando’.

The swearing in of self-declared 'general' of National Resistance Movement (NRM) Miguna Miguna topped the list of the most searched prominent person followed by Manchester United striker Alexis Sanchez as, as football fans followed news around his intended departure from Old Trafford and strained relationship with manager Jose Mourinho.

Kenyans also went to Google and searched the deaths of Swedish musician and DJ, Avicii.
The musician behind the hit, ‘Wake Me Up’, was found dead as a result of suicide, which sparked conversations about mental health awareness.

The trending events was dominated by FIFA World Cup 2018, followed by the swearing in of Raila Odinga as the People’s President in January 2018.

The Lunar Eclipse was the third most searched event, followed by the 78-day lecturers’ strike and in the fifth place was Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding.

KDF recruitment

Kenyans also went online to find out about the KDF recruitment, followed by the Winter Olympics 2018, which came in seventh place.

The Migori by-election was the eighth most searched event followed by the polls in Zimbabwe.

“The general election in Zimbabwe was held on 30 July 2018, eight months after the coup d’etat that unseated Robert Mugabe’s rule in the nation,” said Dorothy Ooko, Africa’s Head of Communications and Public Affairs at Google.

Kenyan Googlers also searched 'Bitcoin', 'Ovulation', ‘Riparian land’, ‘Halloween’ and ‘Bitcoin.’