By John Ikani
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) workers will start using body-worn cameras in a latest bid to curb tax cheating and crack down on staff bribery among other impropriety.
Local Business Daily newspaper reports that the body cams will be used mainly by staff in the domestic tax department and customs and border control.
Some KRA staff have been accused of helping to fraudulently clear cargo and alter tax returns to help people dodge duty payments.
This has seen the workers amass multi-million shilling assets including real estate and posh cash that are not consistent with their pay.
The use of bodycams, commonly used by US law enforcement officers, are also being introduced as Kenya seeks to reduce its appetite for debt in favour of funding the bulk of its budget from taxes.
“Very soon we will also be ensuring our enforcement officers have body-worn cameras, like the ones you see in the US, so that any action they take is recorded and we can see it. When you put it off, we will also have to understand why you do it,” KRA Commissioner General Githii Mburu is quoted as saying.
“This is so that as you engage out there, you do not get involved in activities that will compromise our objectives. We have to employ risk management where our risks are highest, so they will be more for our officers at border points where things are moving in and out and all our custom areas.”
