KRA Deadline Day: Inside Scramble to File Tax Returns

Today, June 30th, marks the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) deadline for all taxpayers to file their annual returns.

In typical Kenyan fashion, Kenyans have been on a mad rush to beat the deadline. A spot-check by Business Today found that traffic to the iTax web portal was up 64% in June compared to the previous month, based on analytics data by Similarweb.

Many have been filing returns in a bid to avoid stiff penalties. Failure to file annual returns by the due date attracts a penalty of additional tax equal to 5% of the normal tax, or Ksh. 10,000 for Non-Individual Taxpayers.

KRA has been flooding taxpayers’ inboxes with numerous emails over the past several months encouraging them to file returns ahead of the deadline.

Social media has also seen a surge in financial services professionals including accountants and tax experts offering to help individuals and companies file their returns on time.

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KRA had extended operating hours at its offices around the country to encourage filing of tax returns. The changes took effect on June 2, 2022.

“Service centers will open from 7:00am till 6:30pm from Monday to Friday with Saturdays opening from 9:00am to 1:00pm,” the taxman noted.

KRA has also been sharing video tutorials and runnning webinars to guide Kenyans on the process. To file their returns, one needs to access the iTax web portal.

Should you have any challenges or enquiries regarding the process, you are encouraged to visit a KRA office or Huduma Centre near you or to contact KRA via its customer channels including its social media handles and phone numbers.

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