TAX TRANSACTION, COMPLIANCE MADE EASIER VIA MOBILE APP

TAX TRANSACTION, COMPLIANCE MADE EASIER VIA MOBILE APP

By Donald Kogai

Tax transactions and compliance has been

made easier for taxpayers as Kenya Revenue

Authority (KRA) introduces a mobile phone

application that simplifies access to various

KRA services.

Branded as KRA M-Service App, the system

enables taxpayers to access various services

offered by the Authority such as taxpayer

registration and verification, filing of returns and

payment of tax.

The system will widen taxpayer reach, increase

revenue collection and enhance tax compliance

by making tax payment process more

convenient. It will also reduce the cost of

compliance by removing intermediaries.

Through the App, taxpayers are now able to

easily register, pay and file tax returns for

Monthly Rental Income (MRI) and for Turnover

Tax (TOT) obligations. Taxpayers are also able

to register for Personal Identification Number

(PIN), both Kenyan and Alien citizenship as well

as perform checks on PIN, Payment

Registration Number (PRN), Tax Compliance

Certificate (TCC) and confirm identity of KRA

staff.

Further, KRA M-Service App allows taxpayers to

file nil tax returns for the following taxes;

Income Tax-Resident and Non-Resident, Income

Tax Partnership and Income Tax-Company,

Value Added Tax (VAT), Pay as You Earn (PAYE),

Excise tax and Monthly Rental Income (MRI).

To access and use the App, taxpayers with

smart mobile phones should download and

install the App from Google Play Store. Users

with no PIN will be required to first register

while those already with PINs can register on

the app then login in and choose the particular

services they require.

Nil tax return filers will conveniently file return

on their mobile phones by following simple

steps on the App. They will choose Tax Returns,

select Nil Return, select the required obligation

from the list e.g. VAT, input and confirm the

period of the tax return and other details

respectively.

Taxpayers will equally have an opportunity to

validate KRA employees by checking their

identification using the M-Service ‘Jua for Sure’

option hence avoid dealing with imposters and

fraudsters.

KRA M-Service App will expand the tax base by

on boarding the informal sector players who

cannot use computers.

The introduction of mobile application KRA M-

Service also enhances remote operations while

addressing the informal and micro-enterprise

sector through e- commerce and m-commerce

transactions.