Former revenue allocation commissioner Humphrey Wattanga appointed KRA boss

Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung’u has named Humphrey Wattanga Mulongo as the Commissioner General of Kenya Revenue Authority, for a period of three years.

The Harvard trained biochemist will become the seventh KRA boss after the shock exit of James Mburu Githii in February, to pursue personal interests.

Mr Wattanga, who said mobilising capital for development is a noble challenge that he ‘fervently seek to pursue with a passion’, holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania, USA and a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry (cum laude) from Harvard University, USA.

The Alliance High School alumnae has over 15 years’ global experience serving as a business development, corporate finance and transaction adviser to private equity entities, private sector companies, development finance institutions, governments and public organisations.

He previously served as a commissioner and the vice chairman of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA), where he was responsible for ensuring effective coordination and creating constructive synergy among the various committees of the Commission, as well as among the Commissioners.

Mr Wattanga is unlike Mr Mburu, who was a long-time insider at KRA's audit and intelligence units before he was appointed KRA Commissioner-General in July 2019 for a three-year term.

After leaving CRA after a six-year period, Mr Wattanga joined the Meghraj Capital, the investment banking advisory arm of the Meghraj Group as the managing director.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 (1) of the Kenya Revenue Authority Act, 1995, the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning appoints— Humphrey Wattanga Mulongo to be the Commissioner General of Kenya Revenue Authority, for a period of three years, with effect from the August 22, 2023,” Prof Ndung’u said.

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