Thousands of Kenyan taxpayers remain puzzled as penalties and interest charges continue to appear on their iTax accounts weeks after the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) introduced its tax amnesty programme. This comes despite KRA's assurance that eligible taxpayers would receive automatic waivers.
Ongoing Rollout of Automatic Waivers
KRA has clarified that the tax amnesty waiver is being implemented gradually, particularly concerning late-filing penalties. The authority emphasized that taxpayers should not conclude they are excluded from the amnesty simply because penalties remain visible on their accounts.
Key points from KRA:
- The amnesty covers penalties, interest, and fines on tax debts accrued up to December 31, 2025.
- Automatic waivers apply once principal taxes are fully paid by December 31, 2026.
- Taxpayers with only late-filing penalties must file all outstanding returns; their waiver is being phased in.
- Those unable to settle principal tax immediately can arrange payment plans through iTax, provided clearance is before the deadline.
What Taxpayers Should Do
KRA urges taxpayers to clear outstanding principal taxes or file missing returns promptly to benefit from the amnesty. The presence of penalties on iTax does not indicate disqualification but reflects the ongoing system update.
For urgent penalty removals, taxpayers can contact KRA’s customer service with their KRA PIN via official support channels.
The amnesty window closes on December 31, 2026, and taxpayers are encouraged to regularize their tax status before then to take full advantage of the waiver.
