The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has rolled out extended working hours and weekend operations across several service centres in a bid to help taxpayers meet the June 30 tax filing deadline.
The new measures, which took effect on Wednesday, June 17, are expected to provide additional support to thousands of Kenyans expected to file their annual tax returns before the deadline.
Under the revised schedule, KRA offices will now operate from 7am to 7pm on weekdays between June 17 and June 26, adding four extra service hours daily compared to the normal 8am to 5pm working schedule.
To accommodate taxpayers who may be unable to visit tax offices during the week, KRA has also introduced Saturday operations at Huduma Centres. The centres will open on June 20 and June 27 from 9am to 1pm, providing an additional window for taxpayers seeking physical assistance.
The authority has further announced special arrangements for the final filing day on June 30. On that day, KRA offices will remain open from 7am until midnight, creating one of the longest operational periods ever offered during a filing season and giving last-minute taxpayers additional time to submit their returns.
Support services have also been expanded through the KRA Contact Centre. The centre will operate until 10pm from June 17 to June 19 before transitioning to midnight operations from June 22 through June 30.
In addition, the Contact Centre will be available on the two designated Saturdays, June 20 and June 27, between 9am and 4pm. The extended support is aimed at assisting taxpayers experiencing challenges with the iTax platform or requiring guidance on filing procedures.
To reduce congestion and improve service delivery, KRA has partnered with several Huduma Centres across the country, with selected branches extending their operating hours to match the 7am to 7pm weekday schedule.
The affected centres are located in major towns and cities including Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Meru, Kiambu and Kisumu, among others. The move is intended to bring services closer to taxpayers while easing pressure on traditional KRA offices as the filing deadline approaches.
Within Nairobi, residents will have access to five Huduma Centre locations operating under the enhanced timetable. These include GPO, City Square, Kibra, Makadara and Eastleigh, giving taxpayers multiple options across different parts of the capital.
However, not all Huduma Centres will be operating under the expanded schedule. Centres that are not part of the selected list will continue running under their regular weekday timetable of 8am to 5pm and will remain closed during weekends.
KRA has also clarified that Sundays will remain non-operational across all service points. As a result, taxpayers seeking in-person assistance will only be able to access services on weekdays and the designated Saturdays announced by the authority.
Beyond extending physical service hours, KRA is increasingly relying on digital solutions to simplify tax compliance and reduce the need for office visits.
One of the key initiatives is the authority's WhatsApp-based filing service powered by a chatbot known as Shuru. The platform, accessible through the official number +254 711 099 999, allows taxpayers to access a range of KRA services directly from their mobile phones.
The chatbot, which was launched on April 1, offers access to 15 different KRA services around the clock, enabling users to receive assistance and complete various tax-related processes without physically visiting a KRA office.
The introduction of Shuru forms part of KRA's broader efforts to digitise tax administration and improve customer experience by offering faster, more convenient access to services. Combined with the extended office hours, the initiative is expected to ease pressure on service centres while helping more taxpayers comply with the June 30 filing deadline.
