2.4 Million Kenyans File Tax Returns Ahead of Saturday Deadline as KRA Insists No Extension of Period

More than 2.4 million Kenyans have filed tax returns ahead of June 30th deadline even as Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) insist the period will not be extended.

The number is slightly high compared to the 1.8 million Kenyans who filed their returns by the the same time last year. On Wednesday, the taxman said it has been processing tax returns for 50,000 to 60,000 Kenyans on a daily basis.

More Kenyans are rushing to KRA offices and desks at the Huduma Centres across the country in a bid to beat the deadline. KRA said it expects the number of those filing returns to hit 150,000 per day ahead of Saturday deadline.

On Wednesday and Thursday, KRA online system, Itax experienced delays as a result of overloading as thousands rush to comply before deadline.

"We apologize for the itax system downtime from late yesterday to this morning. We assure all taxpayers that the system is now up and running smoothly," KRA said in a tweet on Thursday morning.

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Chief Manager for Domestic Taxes Department Judith Njagi said Kenyans have had six months to file their returns, stating that the agency will not extend the period after June 30th. Non-filers will be slapped with a fine of up to Sh20,000.