The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has expressed confidence in 1,405 staff who graduated after completing a two-month training in partnership with the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
KRA's Revenue Service Assistants (RSA) were trained at Recruits Training College in Eldoret and qualified to help the authority in its plan to boost tax collection.
Speaking during the graduation ceremony on Friday, August 25, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi noted that the Revenue Service Assistants will significantly impact tax collection during the financial year 2023/2024.
"As the National Revenue Collection Agency, KRA plays a crucial role in being a globally trusted revenue agency facilitating tax and customs compliance.
"To live up to this call, it's essential for KRA to prioritise professionalism among its tax officers. An important aspect of achieving integrity in tax mobilization involves the training of tax administration officers," Mudavadi stated.
Musalia also acknowledged the exemplary performance of the RSAs and urged them to use skills gained to support the government’s transformation agenda through revenue collection.
On its part, KRA explained that the Revenue Service Assistants will help in sorting, logging, and processing incoming and outgoing correspondence between the authority and taxpayers in the country.
"The new skills and knowledge they acquired during this intensive 2-month period will empower them to execute their mandate with unparalleled proficiency and dedication," KRA stated.
KRA stated that central to its mission is the enhancement of tax compliance and helping to broaden the tax base through applicable innovations and enforcement.
It added that the specific duties of an RSA will depend on the size and complexity of the assignment to ensure that the revenue service can collect taxes efficiently and effectively.
The training programme by the Kenya Defence Forces further prepared the officials to respond to threats, including security challenges that they will encounter in their call of duty.
"As we celebrate their accomplishments, we also look forward to the impactful changes that today's graduates will bring," KRA stated in a statement published on social media.
The RSA opportunities were announced on Tuesday, May 9. Among the qualifications the applicants had to meet were having a D+ (plus) in KCSE and being between 18 and 35 years old. Successful applicants were to receive up to Ksh53,500 gross salary.
