The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has signalled that Kenyans should not expect another tax amnesty anytime soon, a warning that could stir fresh debate among taxpayers grappling with penalties and interest.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The caution came from KRA's Chief Manager for Policy Josephine Mugure, who addressed stakeholders directly on the matter during a recent engagement session on tax compliance and revenue collection. “The other issue is that amnesty. We might not have another amnesty, and this is not to make you take the one we have,” stated Mugure.

She explained that feedback shared with Members of Parliament regarding Section 37E of the Tax Procedures Act in the Finance Act 2026  revealed growing frustration among taxpayers who feel the system punishes honesty while quietly rewarding those who default on their obligations.

She pointed out that the people who consistently do the right thing, paying their taxes and settling penalties and interest when they arise, are watching the government extend fresh mercy to defaulters.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to her, this creates an uncomfortable question for the National Treasury and the wider government whenever another amnesty is floated for taxpayers who have allowed arrears to pile up. “One of the feedback that the stakeholders gave the MPs is that we are punishing the people who do right and reward who do wrong,” stated Mugure. “The ones who do right are the ones who pay their taxes, and if there are penalties and interest, they pay. What KRA or the Treasury does in this particular case is give an amnesty to the people who had arrears, whom we are stressing to pay.”

She noted that Kenyans have become increasingly alert to this pattern, with many now openly asking for refunds if the state keeps forgiving those who paid late or not at all.

That heightened public awareness, Mugure said, is precisely why another blanket amnesty may not be forthcoming, stressing that her remarks reflected a personal opinion rather than an official government position. “Kenyans are very alert, and what they are saying is, if you're going to give an amnesty to these people who did not pay in time, that's why they have penalties and interest, then you refund us what we paid,” Mugure stated.

Beyond the policy debate, the current amnesty programme itself carries real weight, introduced under the Finance Act 2026 and running for a full six months, scheduled to end on December 31, and grants a complete waiver on penalties, interest, and fines tied to eligible tax debts.

The waiver specifically covers tax liabilities that accrued up to December 31, 2025, giving defaulters a narrow but generous window to settle old debts.

To benefit, taxpayers must clear the underlying principal tax amount, either through a single lump sum payment or a structured plan arranged via the KRA online portal.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke