The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA ) has begun sending personalized tax compliance messages to individuals as part of efforts to enhance transparency and improve revenue collection.
KRA in a post shared on Thursday, April 23, advised recipients of the messages to treat them as legitimate and begin early preparations to address any indicated tax obligations.
In the messages sent to taxpayers, KRA provided a detailed breakdown of each individual’s income, expenses, and tax obligations.
Recipients are notified of their gross earnings, withholding tax already deducted, declared expenses, and the resulting taxable income.
“The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) appreciates your continued commitment to tax compliance and remains dedicated to making the process convenient for you,” reads one of the messages.
“KRA notes that you earned gross income amounting to Ksh19,043 in 2025, which was subject to withholding tax totaling Ksh 14,224.14. Additionally, expenses amounting to Ksh 620,515.86 were recorded.”
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The communication also outlines the final tax payable after applying withholding tax credits and reminds taxpayers of key deadlines.
“After accounting for these expenses, your taxable income is Ksh 94,754.76, resulting in a net tax payable of Ksh 75,711.76 after withholding tax credit,” the message read further.
KRA urged a taxpayer to settle outstanding dues by April 30, 2026, warning that failure to do so would result in penalties and interest.
KRA to Pre-Fill Returns in Crackdown on Nil Income Declarations
The move by the Authority comes after the agency in March announced plans to introduce pre-filled tax returns, in which known income streams will already be captured in its system.
Under the new framework, any discrepancies will be automatically flagged when the authority holds supporting information, including bank account transactions and third-party data, in a move aimed at tightening compliance and improving the accuracy of tax reporting.
FCPA Maurice Oray, Deputy Commissioner in the Policy and Tax Division, stated that taxpayers will then be required to confirm the accuracy of the information or provide an explanation if they dispute the figures.
According to Oray, the authority already holds significant financial data on taxpayers and will increasingly use this information to verify declarations.
He noted that even if someone files a nil return, KRA can track transactions, such as sales or other business activities, through its data.
Also Read: KRA Introduces PIN for Kenyans Without Taxable Income: How to Apply and Requirements
The taxman has stepped up scrutiny of taxpayers who file nil income tax returns but appear to have earned income.
KRA began sending SMS messages to individuals and companies, informing them that its systems had detected income linked to their PINs.
The messages indicated that 2025 income tax returns have already been pre-populated on the iTax portal and are ready for review and submission.
The SMS sent to affected taxpayers read:
“Records indicate that while you filed a Nil Income Tax Return for 2024, you earned income in 2025 as evidenced by your eTIMS transmissions. Consequently, your pre-populated 2025 Income Tax Return is ready for filing. Please log in to iTax to file your return and pay any tax due.”
