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Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has clarified that the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is solely interested in accessing financial information—not personal or private data—amid growing public concern and legal opposition to its data access plans.
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KRA’s bid to monitor bank and mobile money transactions to curb tax evasion has sparked fears of privacy violations and potential abuse, with critics likening it to surveillance.
Speaking during a public engagement on June 9, 2025, CS Mbadi defended the initiative, saying it is aimed at enhancing transparency in tax collection. He explained that KRA needs access to financial records from formal institutions like banks to verify the accuracy of self-assessed tax returns.
Mbadi reassured Kenyans that their privacy remains protected under the Data Protection Act, which is still in effect.
“KRA is not after your personal or trade secrets—just financial data to confirm compliance,” he said. “There’s no secret about where this data comes from—it’s collected from financial institutions.”
He dismissed claims that KRA would intrude into people’s private lives, emphasizing that its role is strictly to ensure tax obligations are met.
His remarks come amid heated debate on the Finance Bill 2025, particularly Clause 52, which proposes changes to the Tax Procedures Act to grant KRA broader data access for enforcement.
During a recent session, the National Assembly’s Finance and Planning Committee grilled KRA Deputy Commissioner Maurice Oray on the provision. Turkana South MP John Ariko raised constitutional concerns, saying the clause could infringe on Article 31, which protects the right to privacy.
While acknowledging the need for better tax compliance, lawmakers and the public remain cautious about the potential for overreach and misuse of personal information.
