KRA has made an about-turn on the functionality of their online systems saying they are currently experiencing technical hitches in filing tax returns.
Some Kenyans kept on complaining that they could not file taxes since last week due to the inaccessibility of the website.
Reports also emerged that KRA could not collect 2021 company taxes since it was yet to make available the correct tax returns forms on iTax.
Last week, KRA dismissed that they were experiencing any issues saying that their systems are working.
But, on Monday, the Authority had to apologise to some users over a technical hitch.
“Hello... Kindly note that we are currently experiencing system downtime. Our technical team is looking into the issue. Apologies for the inconvenience caused,” KRA said.
When a taxpayer tries to access the platform, it brings an error message saying that the page document no longer exists.
When one refreshes and begins again, the site says that you do not have sufficient privileges to access that platform.
Individuals are to file their 2020 income tax returns on iTax, a process that began on January 1, and runs until June 30.
It’s not only individuals who are witnessing the hitch.
Companies trying to file the returns have been struggling to ensure they file them on time.
According to a number of companies that had tried to file, the forms in the system were calculating taxes at 30 per cent instead of the 25 per cent that was implanted as part of the Covid-19 relief.
“As a result, companies are not able to file their returns for 2020, and therefore they cannot pay the taxes which are due on April 30,” a system user had alluded.
In addition, the first instalment tax for 2021, which is due April 20, cannot be paid either because it is based on the tax paid in the previous year–2020.
Commissioner for domestic taxes Rispah Simiyu said for companies with accounting periods ending before April 2020, the current income tax return is sufficient to facilitate the filing as the applicable tax rate for these companies is 30 per cent.
