Waziri Mayai Wa Maradhi
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 28, 2026
- 307
- 82
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has formally declared a vacancy for the position of Commissioner General, setting in motion a high-stakes succession process at a time when pressure to sustain revenue growth is intensifying.
The announcement comes after the Board decided not to extend the contract of departing Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga, who has been appointed Kenya's High Commissioner to Pretoria and is currently on terminal leave.
Lilian Nyawanda, the Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, has been named Acting Commissioner General in the interim.
As the tax authority launches its 9th Corporate Plan, which is centred on digital transformation and service-driven compliance, the incoming chief executive will take over at a critical juncture.
The Board credited Wattanga with steering key institutional reforms, including a significant organizational restructuring drive during his tenure.
The role is central to delivering the government’s Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP IV), with expectations extending beyond traditional tax collection to financing key national priorities, including housing, healthcare access, and support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
According to KRA, the next Commissioner General will be responsible for expediting the shift to an all digital, data-driven tax system while preserving the effectiveness of domestic revenue streams and customs.
Increases in Revenue and a Steeper Ascent
KRA reports strong but insufficient revenue performance as the leadership change takes place. In the nine months ending March 31, the authority collected KSh 2.038 trillion, which was 11.4% more than the previous year and 96.1% of its target of KSh 2.122 trillion. This puts collections at nearly 69% of the KSh 2.97 trillion full-year goal, with an additional KSh 932 billion to be raised in the last quarter.
Thanks to increased import volumes and administrative savings, customs and border control revenues exceeded targets and surpassed expectations, reaching KSh 733.7 billion. At KSh 1.301 trillion, domestic taxes continued to be the biggest contribution, indicating consistent growth.
Macroeconomic conditions have offered mixed support, with economic growth improving to 4.9% in the third quarter of 2025, while inflation stood at 4.4% in March 2026, driven largely by food, transport and housing costs.
Initiatives like its computerised tax invoice system and increased connectivity with corporate systems, according to KRA, are strengthening compliance and expanding the tax base.
Despite the gains, the authority faces a significantly steeper collection path in the final quarter, underscoring the tension between aggressive revenue mobilisation and prevailing economic constraints.
The announcement comes after the Board decided not to extend the contract of departing Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga, who has been appointed Kenya's High Commissioner to Pretoria and is currently on terminal leave.
Lilian Nyawanda, the Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, has been named Acting Commissioner General in the interim.
As the tax authority launches its 9th Corporate Plan, which is centred on digital transformation and service-driven compliance, the incoming chief executive will take over at a critical juncture.
The Board credited Wattanga with steering key institutional reforms, including a significant organizational restructuring drive during his tenure.
The role is central to delivering the government’s Fourth Medium Term Plan (MTP IV), with expectations extending beyond traditional tax collection to financing key national priorities, including housing, healthcare access, and support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
According to KRA, the next Commissioner General will be responsible for expediting the shift to an all digital, data-driven tax system while preserving the effectiveness of domestic revenue streams and customs.
Increases in Revenue and a Steeper Ascent
KRA reports strong but insufficient revenue performance as the leadership change takes place. In the nine months ending March 31, the authority collected KSh 2.038 trillion, which was 11.4% more than the previous year and 96.1% of its target of KSh 2.122 trillion. This puts collections at nearly 69% of the KSh 2.97 trillion full-year goal, with an additional KSh 932 billion to be raised in the last quarter.
Thanks to increased import volumes and administrative savings, customs and border control revenues exceeded targets and surpassed expectations, reaching KSh 733.7 billion. At KSh 1.301 trillion, domestic taxes continued to be the biggest contribution, indicating consistent growth.
Macroeconomic conditions have offered mixed support, with economic growth improving to 4.9% in the third quarter of 2025, while inflation stood at 4.4% in March 2026, driven largely by food, transport and housing costs.
Initiatives like its computerised tax invoice system and increased connectivity with corporate systems, according to KRA, are strengthening compliance and expanding the tax base.
Despite the gains, the authority faces a significantly steeper collection path in the final quarter, underscoring the tension between aggressive revenue mobilisation and prevailing economic constraints.
