KRA boss Wattanga makes more management changes at Mombasa port

Tax

Humphrey Wattanga Mulongo takes an oath of office as the new Commissioner General at the Kenya Revenue Authority(KRA) at the Supreme Court of Kenya on August 24, 2023.

Photo credit: Wilfred Nyangaresi | Nation Media Group

What you need to know:

  • Mr Swaleh Faraj Teher will now serve as chief manager, of port operations, as Mr George Oloo Aduwi serves at the ICDN in a similar capacity and Ms Jane Wanjira Ombui at the revenue monitoring unit
  • Bernard Mutuma Kibiti will be chief manager, petroleum monitoring unit, John Kennedy Bisonga chief manager in Rift Valley and Grace Tito Lekasi chief manager in Western region

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner-General Humphrey Wattanga has continued making key changes at the agency’s top leadership, just less than two months after being sworn in to head KRA.

In the latest move, Mr Wattanga announced the deployment and transfer of at least 23 customs chief managers, in what KRA said was to “streamline activities”.

The changes follow a first round of re-deployments at the organisations early last month, where senior officers including Ms Rispah Simiyu, who acted as Commissioner-General until Mr Wattanga was appointed, were affected.

“As part of an ongoing commitment to ensuring the highest level of operational efficiency, the need for strategic personnel placement is imperative,” Mr Wattanga said in a staff communication.

Among the Positions that have been affected are Port operations, the Inland Container Deport Nairobi (ICDN), revenue monitoring unit, petroleum monitoring unit and regions such as western, rift valley and northern.

Mr Swaleh Faraj Teher will now serve as chief manager, of port operations, as Mr George Oloo Aduwi serves at the ICDN in a similar capacity and Ms Jane Wanjira Ombui at the revenue monitoring unit.

Bernard Mutuma Kibiti will be chief manager, petroleum monitoring unit, John Kennedy Bisonga chief manager in Rift Valley and Grace Tito Lekasi chief manager in Western region.

“The transfers are made with the belief that the changes will optimize our core mandate of revenue collections, streamline activities and ensure that our staff are best placed where their expertise can be utililized to the fullest,” Mr Wattanga said.

Last month, KRA announced changes in several top managers’ positions, which saw Ms Simiyu- who served as acting Commissioner-General between February and August when Mr Wattanga was appointed- named Commissioner, domestic taxes department.

Ms Simiyu served the role following the exit of Mr Githii Mburu who served as Commissioner-General for three years and seven months until February, about six months since President William Ruto came into power.

The government has made several changes at the KRA since assuming office last year, including in its board where former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) elections board chairman, Anthony Mwaura, was appointed chairman in November last year.