Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof Njuguna Ndung'u on Wednesday clarified the government's rationale for enlisting newly recruited Revenue Service Assistants with paramilitary training acquired from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Speaking while appearing before lawmakers, Prof Ndung'u observed the responsibilities of the new revenue service assistants require them to have disciplined training.
Ndung'u pointed out that the training is important because the new revenue service assistants will be expected to always be in peak physical condition while in the field and demonstrate exceptional alertness when discharging their duties.
"The service assistants were being trained on technical skills, VAT exercise and paramilitary training for fitness and alertness. Some 1406 recruits were sent to KDF school in Eldoret and two months of training before deployment," he stated.
The Cabinet Secretary further revealed that the training was also informed by health reasons.
Ndung'u also asserted that the training will also equip the servicemen with skills to address uncertainties during the course of their work.
"Recruits had to be between 18 and 35 years of age," he added.
The CS further explained that the government decided to have the KRA partner with the KDF for training given this was the inaugural exercise.
According to the taxman, who deployed the servicemen across the country on Monday, the assistants will support taxpayers with their compliance needs including online registration and verification of taxpayer details.
The KRA personnel will also collect data for the taxman and ensure that there is compliance with various regulations.
According to KRA, the revenue assistants will be identified using their staff cards to ensure that scrupulous individuals do not take advantage of the programme.
Kenyans can verify the authenticity of a service assistant's details through USSD *572#.
