NGPU
February 7, 2023
Nakuru County Government to tap the expertise of the KRA to increase revenue collection
Nakuru County Government will tap the expertise of the Kenya Revenue Authority in a bid to increase the collection of levies under its jurisdiction.
Nakuru Governor H.E. Susan Kihika today tasked her team to meet with a team from KRA to agree on the modalities of the taxman assisting the County in collecting certain cadres of revenue which were recording low rates.
“If someone with expertise can come in and help us to get where want in revenue collection, there is no problem trying. We are struggling in collecting some cadres of revenue and we can work as a team to improve our collection rates. We can work on our team to meet with you (KRA) to see where we can start,” she said.
Governor Kihika spoke today when she met a team of KRA officers led by the taxman’s Regional Coordinator for South Rift, Ms Alice Kiptoo in her Nakuru County Headquarters office. The meeting was attended by County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Trade, Mr Stephen Kuria and County Chief of Staff, Dr Peter Ketyenya.
The Governor also requested KRA to assist in building the capacity of the county’s revenue office which she said was not well equipped to increase revenue collection in the area.
“We seek your (KRA) in training our revenue officers. We have not trained our officers adequately in collecting tax,” she said.
Ms Kiptoo, while promising to train County revenue officers, said they were out to work with Governor Kihika’s administration and promised to cooperate in sharing intelligence and data information in their possession. “We don’t have a choice but to work with you,” she said.
She urged Governor Kihika to help KRA in spreading awareness about the need for residents in the area to pay taxes during public participation forums on policies and laws. Ms Kiptoo said lack of knowledge on the type of taxes to pay was one of the challenges they were facing in the collection of revenue.
“Compliance in terms of monthly targets especially in the services industry is very low. We want to sensitize the public and we are requesting that during your public participation fora, you give us a slot to educate the public on tax matters,” she said.
Governor Kihika urged KRA to find ways of earning public trust, stating that in the past, the taxman was fond of closing up businesses whenever disputes arose. “You have to gain peoples’ trust,” she said.
The Governor challenged KRA to work closely with the County team, pointing out that whereas the taxman was meeting revenue targets, the County was still lagging behind. “We need to work together. You seem to be collecting taxes and meeting your targets while ours are dipping,” she said.
