PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Kenyatta orders lifestyle audit of 'high-living tax evaders'
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta, on Wednesday ordered lifestyle audits to be conducted on high-living, high net-worth individuals who pay little taxes.
Kenyatta says such individuals need to reveal their source of wealth and pay taxes. He was speaking during the annual Tax Payers' Day.
He further emphasized the need for the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to make use of technology to reign in on more tax payers.
“High net worth individuals whose lifestyles are not reflective of the taxes they pay if any must be compelled to demonstrate their sources of wealth and to contribute their share of taxes accordingly,” he said.
Towards this end, the use of technology as an enabler is an immediate necessity and KRA must incorporate cutting edge technology in every aspect of its operations, he added
He further stated that the government has taken steps to widen the tax space to bring in more Kenyans.
“There should be no room for tax evaders to thrive in this Kenya. Criminal cartels like those smuggling imported taxable goods through our ports of entry ought to be easily detected and contained in the shortest possible time,” he said.
“Traders who operate fake electronic tax registers, pocketing the VAT that they should collect should also be brought to heel.”
Kenyatta, who awarded distinguished taxpayers for the 2017/18 year, also cautioned those charged with collecting tax, saying KRA, the taxman, collected US$3.29 billion in the first quarter ended September 2018 compared to the US$3.17 billion during the same period last year.
The revenue body, however, missed the collection target for the quarter by US$9.27 billion.
-0- PANA DJ/VAO 31Oct2018
Kenyatta says such individuals need to reveal their source of wealth and pay taxes. He was speaking during the annual Tax Payers' Day.
He further emphasized the need for the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to make use of technology to reign in on more tax payers.
“High net worth individuals whose lifestyles are not reflective of the taxes they pay if any must be compelled to demonstrate their sources of wealth and to contribute their share of taxes accordingly,” he said.
Towards this end, the use of technology as an enabler is an immediate necessity and KRA must incorporate cutting edge technology in every aspect of its operations, he added
He further stated that the government has taken steps to widen the tax space to bring in more Kenyans.
“There should be no room for tax evaders to thrive in this Kenya. Criminal cartels like those smuggling imported taxable goods through our ports of entry ought to be easily detected and contained in the shortest possible time,” he said.
“Traders who operate fake electronic tax registers, pocketing the VAT that they should collect should also be brought to heel.”
Kenyatta, who awarded distinguished taxpayers for the 2017/18 year, also cautioned those charged with collecting tax, saying KRA, the taxman, collected US$3.29 billion in the first quarter ended September 2018 compared to the US$3.17 billion during the same period last year.
The revenue body, however, missed the collection target for the quarter by US$9.27 billion.
-0- PANA DJ/VAO 31Oct2018
