According to Business Daily Africa the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has made it known via information passed by the taxman to Members of Parliament (MPs), that it is “broke” and unable to pay police officers the 214.8 million Kenyan Shillings due for securing its premises.
The Commissioner General; Githii Mburu revealed to the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has come to an agreement with the Ministry of Interior with regards to the stationing of Administration Police Officers at Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) offices across the country.
Contained in the 2004 agreement which was signed between the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Administration Police Commandant was the specification that the taxman will be charged 500 Kenyan Shillings per officer deployed every day.
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) which is the agency of the Government of Kenya that is responsible for the assessment, collection and accounting for all revenues that are due to government, in accordance with the laws of Kenya, was to also provide a token allowance of 500 Kenyan Shillings per officer, every day. Said allowance was to be paid directly to the Administration Police officers for their meals.
According to the Commissioner General; Githii Mburu the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), has a total of 423 armed spread across its 95 stations in Kenya.
The officers provide security to all the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) premises and installations across the country. The officers also carry out armed patrols with revenue officers along the numerous border points, provide security for any premises containing illicit goods and or seized goods, and escort revenue officers during their field assignments.
The Commissioner General; Githii Mburu added that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has accumulated arrears from as far back as 2016 up until now as a result of budgetary constraints. The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) right now only provides the 500 Kenyan Shillings for meals and transport per Administration Police Officer and not the 500 Kenyan Shillings for securing its premises.
Mr. Githii Mburu while appearing before the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) led by the Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi to explain why the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has been unable to settle the sum of 143.2 million Kenyan Shillings in respect of the security services provided from 2016 to 2019 stated that, “We are unable to cater for police expenditure because we have a critical deficit in our budget. The recurrent budget request actual allocations by the Treasury was significantly low.”
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