Nairobi, Kenya May 7 – Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner General Michael Waweru is optimistic of meeting their end-year targets.
The assertion comes despite revelations that KRA missed its third quarter targets by 5.1 percent.
“Revenue collection is growing at a faster rate than that of the economy at 13.4 percent,” Mr Waweru said, adding that April’s collection stood at Sh54 billion compared to Sh44 billion in 2008.
“The Customs department collected Sh1.5 billion above target and the Domestic Taxes Department also exceeded their target by (about) a billion,” Mr Waweru noted.
The taxman estimates that revenue collection for this year could grow to at least Sh550 to Sh600 billion against a target of Sh493 billion.
“This is despite the supposed economic downturn because Kenyans are paying their taxes,” he enthused.
Speaking after opening a stakeholder’s forum on how to increase efficiency within the Northern Corridor, Mr Waweru expressed concern that the 24-hour working system at the port was not working at its optimum.
“Kenya Ports Authority and Kenya Revenue Authority moved swiftly to implement the President’s directive but the banking sector and clearing and forwarding agents didn’t,” he said.
This, Mr Waweru noted, had resulted in the wastage of resources set up by government agencies to take advantage of the 24hr port operations directive.
He however observed that the 24-hour system is the best way forward in making operations at the port more viable.
