President William Ruto has appointed Humphrey Wattanga Mulongo as the new Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
The announcement of his appointment was made through a gazette notice dated August 22.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u revealed that Wattanga will serve as the KRA Commissioner General for the next three years, effective August 22, 2023.
Moreover, Wattanga takes over the reins from his predecessor Githii Mburu, who left in February after an impactful three-year and seven-month in service.
Mburu’s departure came following a broader reorganization at KRA that impacted various departments within the organization.
During the transition period, Rispah Simiyu, the Commissioner of Domestic Taxes, took over as the acting Commissioner General.
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Humphrey Wattanga’s Education Background
Humphrey Wattanga went to Wharton School of Business, where he earned a Master of Business Administration in Information Systems Strategy and Economics under the esteemed Nelson Mandela Hope Worldwide scholarship and the Kaiser Family Foundation scholarship. This was from the year 1998 to 2000.
From 1992 to 1996, Wattanga furthered his studies at Harvard University studying Bachelors in Biochemical Sciences. He graduated with honors after cloning a gene pivotal in genetic-switching mechanisms. He studied under the Harvard Faculty Scholarship.
Nonetheless, Wattanga did his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in 1990 at Alliance High School where he attained the first position in the country.
A product of educational excellence, Wattanga secured a top 20 position in Kenya’s 1986 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) exam at Uhuru Estate Primary School.
Humphrey Wattanga’s Work Experience
Humphrey Wattanga’s appointment follows his remarkable experience and contribution to revenue-related matters within the country.
Wattanga served as Commissioner and Vice Chair of the Commission on Revenue Allocation for six years highlighting his commitment for fiscal progress.
In this role, the Harvad alumni ensured effective coordination and creating constructive synergy among the various committees of the commission as well as among the commissioners.
The new taxman also serves as the Managing Director at Meghraj Capital Group, a position he has held since March this year.
Moreover, Wattanga served as a senior partner in AFCORP Investment in South Africa for thirteen years.
AFCORP Investment is a South African-based specialist Pan African private investment banking and transaction advisory company working with financial institutions and operating companies across Africa to develop structure, finance and implement growth and expansion strategies.
With over two decades of international experience in corporate finance, Wattanga ‘s proficiency in mobilizing capital and structuring financial transactions spans both public and private sectors.
Furthermore, his input resonates across diverse arenas.
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For instance, the new KRA Commissioner General played a significant role in the development and implementation of the mobile gateway platform, linking Kenya’s mobile money platforms with the Nairobi Securities Exchange.
The platform served as the launchpad for the M-Akiba bond, marking a watershed moment in Kenya’s financial landscape.
Likewise, during his tenure at the Commission on Revenue Allocation, Wattanga devised a comprehensive performance review of county revenue collection systems.
He spearheaded a collaborative initiative, culminating in the development of an integrated county revenue management system.
Apart from his financial expertise, Wattanga has also championed climate-conscious investments.
He contributed to a pioneering platform supporting small and medium-sized enterprises with climate-smart solutions.
Wattanga is a member of the investment committee of Kenya Climate Ventures (KCV).
