Newly appointed Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) commissioner-general James Githii Mburu has fired more warning shots at tax evaders.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s Newsnight, Mburu hit out at employers and companies whom he accused of deducting taxes from employees and still do not remit it to the government.
"While deducting you knew, you have kept it, why should I come for it and we start arguing? The change of tact is since you knew what you were doing, when I catch up with you now, first of all, I will treat it as criminal, so that tax collection can be given the respect and seriousness it deserves," said the KRA boss as quoted by Citizen Digital.
Mburu further noted that the government is forced to loan funds for development projects, a problem he said can be solved easily by Kenyans remitting their taxes.
"The country does not need to borrow for the next financial year as long as all Kenyans come out and pay their taxes. If all of us were to pay only what we owe, not a shilling more, we will not borrow any money,” he said.
Probe against tax evaders has been endorsed by President Uhuru Kenyatta who on Sunday during an event at Christ is the Answer Ministries (CITAM) maintained that the fight will not end soon.
“We will continue to say that as long as they continue doing that (evading taxes), Caesar must get his fair share. Why should it go to the pockets of five people?” Uhuru was quoted by Daily Nation.