Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u has explained why the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Revenue Assistants were trained by the Kenya Defence Forces for two months.
Speaking on Wednesday, September 27 while appearing before the National Assembly for a plenary session, CS Ndung’u said the paramilitary training
"The role of the revenue assistants is purely intelligence gathering, detecting, deterring and stem tax evasion, so its fieldwork and it requires physical fitness and alertness for swift and tactical skills hence the Revenue Service Assistants had a dimension of paramilitary training for effective policing, interventions against VAT and exercise tax leakages,” he explained.
CS Ndung’u also revealed that the paramilitary training was informed by health reasons adding that only recruits between the age of eighteen and 35 years were shortlisted.
“The authority complied with the requirements set out by the paramilitary training and for the health and safety of the recruits themselves. Part of the requirements was medical assessment to ascertain if the e recruits were fit for the vigorous training,” CS Ndung’u added.
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His explanation comes days after KRA deployed Revenue Service Assistants countrywide to help with the discharge of services to Kenyans.
"Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) informs the public that it has rolled out a Revenue Service Assistants (RSAs) program whose mandate is to support taxpayers with their compliance needs.
"The RSAs will provide on-site facilitation to taxpayers, which will involve physical visits to taxpayer premises within the country,” KRA said in a notice.
The revenue assistants will facilitate online registration of trading businesses, verify taxpayer details, and support compliance with TIMS/eTIMS regulations. They will also support compliance with excise regulations and conduct data collection exercises.
