National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has sought to allay public fears over the Kenya Revenue Authority’s (KRA) proposed powers to access citizens’ financial information, assuring that the taxman is not interested in Kenyans’ personal or private data.
Speaking during a public engagement on Monday night, June 9, 2025, Mbadi emphasized that KRA’s focus is solely on financial data needed for tax assessment purposes. This comes amid a heated national debate sparked by Clause 52 of the Finance Bill, which proposes amendments to the Tax Procedures Act to allow KRA expanded access to data from financial institutions.
“KRA’s interest lies only in financial data, not your secrets,” Mbadi stated. “Where they’re sourcing this data from—there is no secret—it’s from banks and financial institutions. The Data Protection Act remains in place, and no one will come for your personal information.”
The CS explained that every year, Kenyans are required to submit self-assessment tax returns, but KRA currently lacks the ability to verify whether the declared figures are accurate. To bridge this gap, the authority needs to rely on financial data, particularly from formal institutions.
Critics, however, have raised alarm over potential violations of the right to privacy. Turkana South MP John Ariko told KRA officials that the proposed provision could infringe Article 31 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to privacy.
“While it is important to enhance tax compliance, this provision could be abused if not clearly regulated,” Ariko cautioned.
KRA Deputy Commissioner Maurice Oray was earlier questioned by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning over the implications of the controversial clause. Public concern has mounted, with many interpreting the proposed access as an overreach that could open the door to government surveillance.
Mbadi, however, dismissed fears of unchecked access to private lives, reiterating that KRA’s mandate is purely focused on ensuring transparency and honesty in revenue collection, not spying.
As public consultations on the Finance Bill continue, Mbadi’s remarks seek to reassure Kenyans that their constitutional rights will remain protected while enhancing the country’s tax compliance framework.
