President William Ruto has asked the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to inspire confidence in Kenyans to pay their taxes.
He said the authority must make their tax system simple, transparent and fair to collect more.
The Head of State regretted that KRA has been sluggish in facilitating Kenyans to honour their obligations.
The Head of State said KRA has also failed to deploy better technologies to boost revenues.
He insisted that the aversion to the upgrading of revenue administration technologies was a signal of underhand dealings.
“It suggests that arbitrary, opaque and corruptible revenue collection methods are the preferred modus operandi.”
He made the remarks on Friday at Times Towers, Nairobi, where he filed his tax returns in the company of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and KRA Board Chairman Anthony Mwaura.
The President said KRA must undertake “serious and effective” culture change and adopt best technologies to facilitate revenue mobilisation.
He maintained that the authority must stop the tiresome drama of pretending to be fighting with stakeholders over new technology.
“You have to avoid irritating Kenyans with proposals to change names and tackle collusion and wanton bribe-taking that facilitate revenue leakages.”
Through radical transformation, President Ruto added, KRA stands to attain its full contribution.
Mr Rigathi said the Government was keen on mobilising local resources to drive its development agenda.
“We are weaning ourselves of foreign debts, which are choking us,” he said.
