By MKT Reporter
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) in collaboration with The National Treasury, the African Economic Research Consortium, and the Government of Denmark, has convened a Stakeholders’ Consultation Workshop to review and strengthen ongoing research supporting tax policy and revenue administration reforms in Kenya.
This is the second such engagement under the Collaborative Research Programme, which brings together experts from the University of Copenhagen’s Development Economics Research Group (UCPH-DERG), the Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA), and KRA, under the coordination of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC and support from the Government of Denmark through the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA).
Speaking during the opening of the Workshop, KRA Commissioner General, Mr. Humphrey Wattanga reaffirmed KRA’s commitment to leverage research and data to drive Kenya’s tax reform agenda.
“At KRA, we remain committed to evidence-based decision-making as a cornerstone of our tax reforms. Our partnerships with academic institutions and research organizations have enabled us to anchor our policies in rigorous analysis, improving tax efficiency, reducing compliance burdens, and enhancing revenue mobilization,” said Mr. Wattanga.
The KRA Commissioner General said the workshop would provide an opportunity to delve deeper into the ongoing research and refine research findings into policy proposals that are expected to inform the Finance Bill, 2026.
“Our collaboration with AERC and UCPH-DERG continues to be a vital resource in developing effective, equitable, and sustainable tax policies that align with our mission,” added the KRA Commissioner General.
Key research themes discussed during the workshop included taxation of Petroleum Products, exploring ways to modernise Kenya’s excise tax structure in line with Kenya’s evolving economic realities.
The delegates also delved into the dynamics of Personal Income Tax, enhancing tax equity and efficiency through reforms, eTIMS and Business Formalisation where they evaluated the role of the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS) in strengthening tax administration and expanding the tax base by encouraging formalisation of businesses.
They also discussed Revenue Impact of VAT Misreporting, investigating VAT compliance challenges and proposing solutions to strengthen VAT revenue integrity.
The workshop aims to generate actionable policy proposals and reinforce the research base for critical areas including VAT, personal income tax, and excise duties. These efforts align with Kenya’s broader national goals of enhancing tax compliance, reducing administrative burdens, and increasing domestic revenue mobilization to support the country’s national development priorities.
