KRA extends working hours to net more Kenyans ahead of tax returns deadline

The Kenya revenue authority has literally burnt the midnight oil in order to allow more Kenyans enough time to fill their income tax returns before the deadline date.

The iTax Support Centres found in Huduma Centres, where Kenyans wishing to fill their tax returns can get assistance have changed their work schedule to accommodate Kenyans who have a penchant for waiting until the last day to fill them, triggering system overload and even system crashes sometimes.

On June 29, 2016, for instance the last day for filling taxes, KRA registered the highest number of iTax reports with more than 128,000 Kenyans filling their returns on that day alone.

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Huduma centers which normally operate between 8am and 5pm, will from Monday open at 7.30am to 6pm to serve workers who were locked out by the initial eight-hour shift.

“The extension applies to all iTax related services in the 44 Huduma Centres and 24 iTax Support Centres countrywide,” the KRA said in a statement.

The centres will also open on Saturdays between 8am and 1pm to make sure no Kenyan is left behind in the race to have more workers and business owners file their income tax returns.

KRA, went digital to encouraged taxpayers to take advantage of the time and location convenience brought about by the online filing of returns in order grow the income tax segment as it struggles to meet its collection targets.

“Taxpayers are encouraged to visit the centres to avoid the Sh20,000 penalty that accrues when a taxpayer does not file their return,” the taxman warned.

Last year, the number of taxpayers registered on the online platform doubled to four million from July 2015’s figure of 1.6 million.