KRA has dropped a bombshell that has everyone talking! A fresh audit has uncovered a massive Sh760 billion in unpaid withholding taxes owed by over 392,000 firms and high-net-worth individuals across Kenya.
We're talking about taxes that should have been deducted and remitted on things like dividends, professional fees, consultancy payments, rents, and other income streams. For years, many of these big players have been dodging full compliance, leaving the government short-changed.
The Kenya Revenue Authority isn't playing games this time. They're rolling out serious enforcement moves: deactivating PINs to block access to iTax, freezing assets, and even slapping travel restrictions or bans on those who refuse to pay up. They're cross-checking data from banks, vehicle registries, power and water companies, plus KCAA records to track luxury assets and luxury lifestyles.
This comes at a time when KRA is under pressure to hit revenue targets. In the first half of the current financial year 2025/26, they fell short by Sh152 billion, collecting only around Sh1.1 trillion against a higher goal. The pressure is on to recover every shilling possible.
On X, reactions are hot and mixed. Many Kenyans are cheering the crackdown, saying it's finally time to make the elite and big companies pay what they owe instead of always squeezing the ordinary mwananchi. Others are skeptical, asking why the big fish—especially those connected to politicians—always seem to escape these nets while small businesses get hammered. The conversation is full of frustration over selective enforcement and calls for fairness in the whole tax system.
This move is part of broader fiscal reforms, but it's stirring up plenty of debate. Will it actually bring in the cash, or will it just spark more resistance? Kenyans are watching closely! What do you think—fair game or just another way to target certain people?
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