Memo to Kenyans in Diaspora: KRA Gives Non-Compliant Taxpayers 30 Days to File Returns
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced a 30-day grace period for taxpayers to update their tax status, failure to which they will face penalties.
KRA had earlier threatened it would deactivate personal identification numbers (PINs) of non-compliant taxpayers beginning Thursday last week, a move that could have blocked millions of Kenyans from accessing critical governmental services.
In May, the taxman said those who failed to file their annual returns for 2016 by the June 30 deadline, would face a fine of five per cent of the tax due or a maximum of Sh20,000.
On Friday, however, KRA, which has remained under huge pressure from the Treasury to collect more taxes notified those who had failed to file their returns to do so by end of September.
“This is to inform you that, your return for obligation Income Tax - Resident Individual and period from: 01/01/2016 to 31/12/2016 is not received by Kenya Revenue Authority by the due date 30/06/2017,” said KRA in a notice.
“Kindly submit your return within next 30 days ending on 01/10/2017. Failure to submit return will attract penalty/interest.”
The notice comes barely a week after the KRA declared it would effect the controversial plan to delist tax defaulters as earlier announced.
In a notice dated Tuesday last week, the taxman maintained it would de-register all taxpayers who had not filed their returns and those who had not migrated their profiles to the online platform starting September 1, in a bid to smoke out tax cheats.
“KRA has noted that there are taxpayers who have not migrated their PINs into iTax while others, who are already on iTax, are either not filing or are filing nil or no returns,” the agency said last Tuesday in a public notice.
“KRA, therefore, notifies the general public that those who have not updated their PINs in iTax should do so by 31 August 2017 and commence filing immediately.”
However, legal experts had vowed it would resist plans to deactivate non-compliant taxpayers’ PINs, terming it illegal.
“KRA does not issue PINs to citizens as a favour but as provided for in law, in the same way the Department of Registration of Persons issues Identity Cards or Passports,” Nairobi lawyer Nashon Aluoka said.
“It is an instrument that every adult needs to transact the business of life and meet their obligations as citizens and can only be taken away as provided for in law or through a court order,” he argued.
All Kenyan citizens, including those in the Diaspora are required by law to file a tax return every year. Those with no income in Kenya are not exempt from filing, and should instead file a "Nil Return" which indicates they have not earned any income in Kenya for that particular year.
Comments
Some of us have been away…
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Some of us have been away from Kenya for decades and don't even know what our PINs are. We've been faithfully filing taxes where we live and earn. If we're not good enough to vote in Kenya, then I don't see why we should file taxes there. No taxation without representation. KRA should instead use their resources to collect taxes from those who earn in Kenya.
If you have no plans of…
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In reply to Some of us have been away… by Mumbi (not verified)
If you have no plans of investing, inheriting or earning in Kenya, I see no need to renew your pin. Otherwise, you'll be in a pickle next time you try to transact.
Quotable quotes…
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In reply to Some of us have been away… by Mumbi (not verified)
Quotable quotes
"...IF WE'RE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO VOTE IN KENYA then I don't see why we should file taxes there..."
Green card holders don't…
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In reply to Quotable quotes… by JustMe (not verified)
Green card holders don't vote. Just a thought.
You missed the point. We are…
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In reply to Green card holders don't… by Nani? (not verified)
You missed the point. We are mot talking about American elections
I didn't. Green card and…
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In reply to You missed the point. We are… by Justme (not verified)
I didn't. Green card and other work permit holders in the US don't vote yet they pay every tax due like any American Citizen...why no peep from Kenyans about taxation without representation?
It's true green card holders…
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In reply to I didn't. Green card and… by Nani? (not verified)
It's true green card holders do not vote. But they live here, they use the roads, hospitals, libraries and other social amenities here. That's why they pay taxes here. Your comparison doesn't make sense.
@Justme - why are you using…
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In reply to You missed the point. We are… by Justme (not verified)
@Justme - why are you using my moniker to post your thoughts? Mwakilishi please divulge the person who posted this post, (also copied herebelow) - this is impersonation and it is illegal.
WHO POSTED THIS?
Justme
Tue, 09/05/2017 - 21:50 In reply to Green card holders don't… by Nani?
Haiya...ati kenyans with pin…
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Haiya...ati kenyans with pin in diaspora one must file tax return every year and failure one attracts fine and accrued every year...kwani kenya inewapatia kazi.
This colonial thing from kenya must stop.
Tax only works for those working in kenya.....kama mtu hana job....where will one get 300ksh to file in cyber cafe yet pennyless.....some issues need to be discussed seriously.....kra wacheni ugondi na u.colony..
Yes.. kra go ahead and stop…
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Yes.. kra go ahead and stop those pins......kwani kenya ni yetu ama ni ya kra.
People pay taxes every second via sales tax vat etc.
Those who make millions in biz have registered companies......
Who is fool to pay tax that wont provide medicine in hospital.....
They collect tillions and people dying of cholera....bilhazia...miyoo...
What we will do is to…
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What we will do is to acquire dual citizen...thus passport from otger nations,international driving licence from abroad,accounts abroad....upuzi mwingi hatutaki.....
Will buy land in kenya thru proxy.....hatutaki nyenye nye...
What kra ought to do is…
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What kra ought to do is sensitize kenyans on way to file returns at local level....one do not need computer to file returns......if jobless i dont think one can even have that energy.
Build jails and plant more maize at galana for those that who will be jailed for lack of filing returns.......but scaring you wont provide services since one dont file returns ni ujinga....
Kura za uhuruto are at risk....they must address this matter....how can you penalize me for not filing returns while am jobless sina pesa ata ya chakula...
Where on earth do you stop…
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Where on earth do you stop one not to be treated or flying out to another nation since not submited tax returns......kra wacheni ujinga
Heeeeee the noise making…
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Heeeeee the noise making refugees in diaspora.If u made diaspora yr home why worry,ignore it but if u return one day u will have to pay millions for those refugees who r waiting 70 yrs to return retire home.We want Kenya to b like this countries our pple disappeared too by building our roads,hospitals n schools n this will come from paying our taxes.So guyz relax n don't do anything but half of yr retirement italipa hizo accrued taxes.Lipa ushuru nchi iebdelee yr 99%of yr pple leave in this country.
Oops! The idiot just forgot…
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In reply to Heeeeee the noise making… by Mkenya halisi (not verified)
Oops! The idiot just forgot he told us he is a citizen of the USA. How do you pay your US taxes?
KRA IS LOOKING For UHURUTO…
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KRA IS LOOKING For UHURUTO CAMPAIGN MONEY. They use Kenyan taxpayers money for campaigns and living large.
There is something called…
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There is something called nil return. Many here are shooting to fast from the hip without thinking things through. Just register and file nil return if you have no income in 254. Hi ingine is just mob self-deception. Ukikosa title transfer coz your PIN is inactive ndio utaelewa.
I have been filing since…
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In reply to There is something called… by Soldieron (not verified)
I have been filing since 2008. There's simply nothing financial you can transact without a PIN. If anyone advises you differently, utalipa. An employee at CFC Stanbic Bank recently narrated a story on how diasporans have lost so much by trying to transact through proxies as someone has suggested.
Ata nikiwa Kenya i will…
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Ata nikiwa Kenya i will never pay tax to raise salaries for women reps,senators.governors,Raila,Uhuru,Ruto for owning useless parties,18% brokering payment to Wanjigi to fund Al Shabaab through muuaji Raila na ukashia mwingi usio na nnjia.How can any normal person pay tax to fund such a bloated useless government delivering ZERO to wanjinga Kenyans?
Do you condone all the…
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In reply to Ata nikiwa Kenya i will… by Omera (not verified)
Do you condone all the foreign wars the US is involved in yet you fund them with your taxes? What about tax breaks to the wealthy and to corporations? Are you aware that most public sector employee retirement funds, disaster funds, social security, Medicare, SSI are severely underfunded? Don't get me started on the public debt which stands at $60,000+ per person and I have not included state and county liabilities. Folks, have a plan B.
Omera as yr names suggest no…
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Omera as yr names suggest no wonder u guys yaani a particular tribe keep destroying roads n burning properties juu they don't know the worth of maendeleo.Dont pay taxes n forever ziiiipppp yr mouth for life when u see unga bin hiked,roads not done in yr region when u go to visits yr pple home etc.
Kenya gvt could not offer me…
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Kenya gvt could not offer me a job nikaeda abroad kutafuta.i pay tax where i live and they want me to pay tax in kenya.wajinga nyinyi offer me a job i will come back to work for you and pay the tax.
Paying tax is a duty of all…
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Paying tax is a duty of all Kenyans
But before those outside Kenya feel obligated the government must show what the TAX is used for.
Looting government corvers to build in Zurich is not the best show!
Excessive payroll isn't attractive either
Failing health services definitely keeps diaspora outside thus paying taxes is null and void to them
Corrupt police
Lack of security
And the decaying city of Nairobi hakuna maji KRA you are a barking dog 🐶
We have seen the world and we know duties as citizens of any country but we demand services from the drunk 😵 Kenya 🇰🇪. Our only Kenya!!!!!
If i can't vote then don't…
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If i can't vote then don't come after my income. We have no relationship. No taxation without representation! Period
What kind of returns is this…
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What kind of returns is this fool talking about? Has the Kenyan government given me a job to demand returns from my hard earned dollar? What services have they rendered to us as the people of diaspora? The fool wants to get our money and give to Waiguru. Let him continue dreaming.
What are the consequences of…
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What are the consequences of maintaining a pinless position till I go to Kenya years from now and create one when I'm thinking of buying property for instance?
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