National Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has urged Kenya Revenue Authority to leverage technology to in order to enhance tax collection.
Speaking during a meeting with KRA to officials, CS Mbadi said there is need continuous modernization in tax administration to streamline business processes as well as simplify tax transactions.
“Our modernization journey must align with our objectives and those of taxpayers. This approach will not only benefit taxpayers but also significantly boost our revenue mobilization efforts,” said Mbadi.
He further called on KRA to develop strategies that will expand the country’s tax base in order to help protect existing businesses from excessive taxation.
The reforms in the tax administration and advanced technology deployment is expected to raise Kenya’s tax to gross domestic product ratio from the current 11.5pc in the medium term.
“I will in the course of the fiscal year Chair the meeting of the
Steering Committee on the Implementation of the Medium-Term Revenue Strategy to ensure we are all on track. The objective is to achieve tax to GDP ratio of 20 percent over the medium term,” he added.
According to KRA Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga, the authority is set to revamp its IT infrastructure to establish reliable systems capable of responding proficiently to business demands.
“The adoption of cutting-edge technologies, such as data science, machine learning, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), will
strengthen our operational efficiency, ensure compliance, and elevate service delivery standards,” said Commissioner General.
He added that this technological development would not only simplify tax administration but also boost overall revenue performance and create a seamless experience for taxpayers.
