KRA commissioner general, John Njiraini. [Photo/ebru.co.ke]
The Kenya Revenue Authority has been losing a lot of revenue at the Port of Mombasa through tax dodges and illegal importation.
That is a reality that the authority seeks to prevent from happening in future.
KRA revealed that it would start automation of scanning of cargo so as to enhance transparency.
Mr. Njiraini spoke at the opening of the third Annual Tax Summit at the University of Nairobi today, Thursday, the authority revealed that when cargo reaches Mombasa and is scanned, its officials in Nairobi cannot tell the results.
''In the past, and it is still happening today, when cargo is scanned in Mombasa, which is our point of entry, we here in Nairobi at the customs headquarters do not have a view or knowledge about what has come out of that scanner. And that creates a lot of problems in terms of the ability of customs to control its business. Now we are changing that dynamic; in the future, and that is not in the distant future, because we expect to be there in March or April, is that what is scanned at Mombasa is available to the headquaters in real time...'' Njiraini said.
The remarks illustrate the determination of KRA to seal the loopholes that exist in revenue collection and to shepherd its tools to the 21st century.
If actualized, the automation of scanning of cargo would help boost revenue collected.