The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has come out to clarify its stand on social media riches, saying people living a fake life have nothing to worry about.
Speaking at a radio station this morning, KRA’s digital economy manager Nixon Omondi said the authority was only interested in the people who were not tax complaint.
He said those who were feeling targeted by the Authority’s recent announcement were people who had not files their tax returns.
Read: KRA Softens Stance on Dormant Tax Payers
“People who fake lifestyles on social media have no reason to worry. As KRA, we cannot assume that the lifestyles posted on social media amount to taxes. Should we suspect that you’re evading taxes, we’ll dig deeper into your tax history to get the factual position,” he said.
The digital economy manager explained that KRA was keen on individuals posting huge projects such as real estate and construction of big estates.
“We’d seek to know if you are the real owner of the property [whose pictures you posted online]. We’d ask you to give us the land record number. If you share that information, then we’d ask if you are paying taxes on the rent you’re receiving from the houses. If you are just a developer, then we’d ask if you’re paying corporate income tax.”
Read: KRA Cautions Against Use of Fraudulently Registered Vehicles
Individuals sharing images of themselves taking exotic holidays, living a high end life with expensive parties, luxury vehicles and frequent out of country trips will also be scrutinized.
“As KRA, we don’t conduct lifestyle audits. We won’t be asking you anything outside tax matters,” said Omondi.
He advised those contacted by KRA to cooperate as there was nothing to worry about if they could prove the source of their funds and tax compliance.
“If you raised the money through a regular income, just show us that you’ve been paying your Pay as You Earn (PAYE). When you can prove the source of the funds that you’re spending, we won’t have any issues with you.”
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