Tag Archives: How to calculate PAYE tax

Two Directors arrested for tax evasion worth Kshs.1.4 billion

Two directors of a computer company have been arrested for tax evasion amounting
to Kshs.1.4 billion.
The two Mr. George Bhutto Abiga and Berard Ochieng Okello both directors of Olympus Computer Garage Limited are suspected to have deliberately failed to declare taxes due from sales they made to Mitsumi Computer Garage between September 2014 and August 2016.

Instead, the suspects filed nil returns for Corporation Tax and did not disclose the business transactions.

Further investigations by the Kenya Revenue Authority, KRA, also revealed that Olympus Computer Garage Limited had imported various computer gadgets and accessories such as laptops, flash drives which attract zero duty but are charged 16% Value Added Tax (VAT) as well as Railway Development Levy (RDL), which they also failed to declare.

The company equally failed to file Value Added Tax (VAT) for the year 2014 and instead filed NIL returns for the year 2015 and 2016 intentionally avoiding to declare sales of over Kshs.1 billion.

The two will be arraigned in court on 11th October, 2019. If found guilty, the suspects are likely to be fined an amount not exceeding ten million shillings or double the tax evaded, whichever is higher or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three (3) years.

KRA has noted that high valued goods are being brought into the country through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by importers who underdeclare their value hence paying less duty.

The Authority is keenly monitoring all imports through the JKIA and those found culpable will be prosecuted.

KRA Pay As Your Earn, PAYE, tax- Individual Income Tax Bands and Resident Personal Relief

Employees working in the formal sector are subjected to a monthly Pay As You Earn, PAYE, tax that is deducted from their salaries. The deductions are effected by the employers and sent to the Kenya Revenue Authority, KRA. The amounts of taxes payable depends on the amount of salary earned by the employee. Each employee enjoys a monthly personal relief.

“Kenya Revenue Authority wishes to notify employers, employees and the public of the following changes that were introduced under the Finance Act, 2017 effective 1st January, 2018,” reads a notice by KRA dated 9th January, 2019.

Revised Individual Tax Bands and Rates

According to the circular, the new tax bands and rates are as follows:

Annual Monthly Rates;
a). On the first Kshs. 147,580 Kshs. 12,298 10%
b). On the next Kshs. 139,043 Kshs. 11,587 15%
c). On the next Kshs. 139,043 Kshs. 11,587 20%
d). On the next Kshs. 139,043 Kshs. 11,587 25%
e). On all income over Kshs. 564,709 Kshs. 47,059 30%

Residents’ Personal Relief

The Resident Personal Relief has been increased from Kshs. 15,360 per annum (Kshs. 1,280 per month) to Kshs 16,896 per annum (Kshs. 1,408 per month)

“Employers, employees and other individual taxpayers are advised to implement the above changes while computing the taxes for periods beginning 1st January, 2018,” adds the tax man

KRA also expects the employees to file annual tax returns, online, between January and June each year.