Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced a significant response from taxpayers towards the ongoing Tax Amnesty Programme, with over 200,000 individuals and entities benefiting from the initiative, resulting in a substantial waiver totalling Sh209 billion in penalties and interest.

As of February 20th, 2024, KRA revealed that a total of 227,071 taxpayers have availed themselves of the amnesty, collectively enjoying relief from accrued penalties and interest on outstanding taxes.

The Tax Amnesty Programme, initiated on September 1st, 2023, and slated to conclude on June 30th, 2024, offers taxpayers the opportunity to apply for the waiver of penalties and interest incurred on outstanding taxes up to December 31st, 2022. To qualify for the amnesty, taxpayers are required to fully settle their principal taxes by the stipulated deadline.

Recent data released by KRA indicates that taxpayers have contributed Sh14.5 billion in principal taxes, further underscoring the substantial engagement with the amnesty scheme.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, KRA urged taxpayers with outstanding principal taxes to capitalize on the amnesty programme.

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Additionally, taxpayers who have not filed their returns for the amnesty period are encouraged to do so in order to benefit from the initiative.

To expedite the resolution of tax disputes, KRA advises taxpayers engaged in ongoing disputes to consider leveraging the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) framework, enabling them to take advantage of the ongoing Tax Amnesty.

Meanwhile, KRA has issued a reminder to taxpayers whose Year of Income ends on December 31st, 2023, to ensure timely filing of their Income Tax Returns by the deadline of June 30th, 2024.

The substantial response from taxpayers highlights the effectiveness of the Tax Amnesty Programme as a mechanism for promoting compliance and providing relief to taxpayers burdened by outstanding tax liabilities.

With the deadline approaching, KRA continues to advocate for full participation, emphasizing the mutual benefits of tax compliance and the potential for significant relief through the amnesty initiative.