KRA collects highest revenue in history, exceeds target by Sh149 billion

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced that it collected the highest revenue in Kenya’s history in the 2021/22 financial year.

According to KRA Commissioner General James Githii Mburu, this year's annual revenue collection has hit and surpassed the Sh2 trillion mark.

“The positive revenue growth rate mirrors the improved tax compliance from patriotic taxpayers who contributed to the collection of revenue.

“Revenue collection has tripled from Sh707.36 billion in FY2011/12 to Sh2.031 trillion in FY2021/22,” he said.

KRA Commissioner General James Githii Mburu Pulse Live Kenya

The revenue collected exceeded KRA’s target by Sh149 billion.

The domestic taxes department collected Sh1.297 trillion against a target of Sh1.267 trillion while Customs and Border Control collected Sh728.530 billion against the set target of Sh702.823 billion.

Githii noted that corporation tax performance was driven by increased remittance from key sectors like finance, insurance, manufacturing, wholesale and transport while.

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Pay as You Earn (P.A.Y.E.) tax performance was driven by the gradual recovery of the job market emanating from economic recovery.

“The positive revenue growth rate mirrors the improved tax compliance from patriotic taxpayers who contributed to the collection of revenue surplus of Sh148.9 billion against the original target, which is the highest surplus ever in KRA's history,” read a statement from KRA.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and KRA Commissioner General James Githii Mburu inpecting the National Cargo Deconsolidation Centre Pulse Live Kenya

KRA tightens revenue collection measures

KRA has been implementing measures to tighten its tax collection which has seen the introduction of new systems, and processes as well as cracking down on tax cheats.

In December 2021, KRA staff were awarded a bonus equivalent to their monthly salary for surpassing their 2020/21 financial year targets.

Githii told his staff that the bonus award was meant to motivate them to reach the 2021/22 targets.

The highest-paid employees at KRA are commissioners with the KRA commissioner-general earning an estimated Sh1.2 million to Sh2 million per month.

Other commissioners pocket between Sh700,000 to Sh1.2 million each per month.