The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has dismissed reports that its systems have gone offline, even as thousands of taxpayers scramble to submit their annual tax returns before the June 30 deadline.
The clarification came after numerous users complained of difficulties accessing KRA's online platforms, with the authority insisting that its systems are operating normally.
KRA advised affected taxpayers to switch browsers or wait briefly before trying again.
“Kindly note that all our systems are working seamlessly. Kindly try using a different browser or give it some time before you can try again,” KRA stated.
Despite the assurance, many users continued reporting login failures on the iTax portal, with several encountering repeated error messages while attempting to access their accounts.
The disruptions have also affected KRA's WhatsApp tax filing assistant, Shuru. Users attempting to file returns through the bot reported that it was unable to detect their KRA PINs.
Even in cases where the PIN was successfully identified, taxpayers experienced challenges receiving the One Time Password (OTP) required to complete the filing process.
Even with the mounting complaints, KRA has maintained that there is no system outage and urged taxpayers to keep attempting to access the platforms.
The technical challenges come as the tax authority has reaffirmed that the deadline for filing annual tax returns will not be pushed beyond Tuesday, June 30.
In a statement on Saturday, June 27, KRA stressed that the legal filing deadline remains in place despite concerns over the reported technical glitches.
"KRA wishes to remind taxpayers that there will be no extension of the filing deadline. All returns must be submitted on or before June 30 2026, in accordance with the law," the authority stated in the statement.
Meanwhile, taxpayers who fail to file their annual returns by the June 30 deadline risk not only penalties but also default tax assessments, according to KRA.
