Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) now wants its staff to wear body cameras while at their workstation.
The taxman’s new move is in a bid to monitor their agents in a bid to curb criminal activities such as staff bribery and tax evasion.
The Standard reported that KRA has invited tech firms to apply for a tender to supply body cameras before the end of the month.
The taxman has scheduled a virtual meeting with the vendors on Tuesday next week.
This comes barely a month after President William Ruto challenged KRA to evaluate ways to expand the tax base in line with his new targets.
“I expect KRA to raise Sh3 trillion by the end of the next financial year and to double the current collection in five years,” Ruto said.
He further pointed out that his administration is ready to implement radical changes at the KRA to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in collection of taxes
“We are determined to effect decisive changes in order to reverse this unsatisfactory state of affairs. The practice of citizen harassment as a means of tax administration is unacceptable
“In the past, revenue collection registered noticeable growth. This was as a result of an effective national mobilization strategy,” Ruto said.
KRA recorded a Sh2.031 Trillion for the 2021/2022 Financial Year.
The Head of State also put a section of KRA staff on notice amid claims that some of them colluded with tax evaders to defraud the State.
Ruto said rogue KRA officials have been selling stamps for excisable products and pocketing about KSh 7 billion.
He noted that while Tanzania and Uganda’s economies are smaller than Kenya, the two countries sell KSh 7.2 billion stamps (Tanzania) and KSh 9 billion stamps (Uganda), while Kenya sells KSh 2.9 billion stamps.
“Revenue leakages, collusion between evaders and KRA officials to subvert revenue administration, a culture of raids, extortion, disruption of taxpayers’ operations, and obstruction of business are some dimensions of a wrong culture, robbing our citizens of shared prosperity,” Ruto said.
