The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has confirmed an extension in the processing period for tax refunds, increasing it from the previous 90 to 120 working days.

• Taxpayers will now wait up to 120 working days for their refund requests to be processed.
• The KRA has confirmed this revised timeline in response to public queries about delays.
• This extension adds 30 working days to the previously communicated 90-day period.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced significant changes to Value Added Tax (VAT) regulations under the Finance Act 2026, notably extending the waiting period for businesses seeking VAT refunds on unpaid debts.

• The time a business must wait to apply for a VAT refund on qualifying bad debts has increased from two years to three years.
• Key individuals and organizations involved include the KRA.
• Other changes affect VAT on digital services, exempt supplies, returning passenger allowances, outsourcing, hire-purchase finance charges, and tour operator services.

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is intensifying its tax crackdown after seizing over 55,000 undeclared smartphones at Eldoret International Airport, preventing an estimated Ksh21.5 million tax loss.

• Seized items included 55,607 ordinary smartphones and 309 high-end smartphones that were undeclared or underdeclared.
• The KRA, citing violations of the East African Community Customs Management Act, warned businesses and taxpayers against evasion.
• This incident follows a recent interception of cigarettes and tobacco worth Ksh46.7 million along the Uganda-Kenya route.