Treasury CS Appoints New KRA Commissioner General

Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u has appointed Humphrey Wattanga Mulongo as the new Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner-General.

The appointment was made through a Gazette Notice dated Tuesday, August 22, 2023. It takes effect immediately.

"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 (3) years, with effect from the 22nd August 2023," read the Gazette Notice.

Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga. /COMMISSION ON REVENUE ALLOCATION

Who Is Humphrey Wattanga?

Wattanga is the vice chairperson of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA).

He holds a Masters in Business Administration from the Wharton School of Finance (from the University of Pennsylvania, USA), and a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry (cum laude) from Harvard University, USA.

He has over 15 years of 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 is a Peer Review member of Grand Challenges Canada; a member of the Brookings Institution’s review panel on the potential and limitations of Social Impact Bonds; and an integral part of the conceptualization, structuring and roll-out of the M-Akiba platform, the world’s first mobile-only government bond.

Wattanga takes over from Githii Mburu who in February 2023 handed his resignation letter to the KRA board on the same day as he went on to pursue personal interests.

The Board appreciated Mburu for the service he has rendered to KRA and the Republic of Kenya and wished him very well in his future endeavours.

Mburu's position was filled by former Commissioner for Domestic Taxes Rispah Simiyu who has been serving as Commissioner General before Wattanga's appointment.

"Following the resignation, the Board has appointed FCCA, CS Rispah Simiyu (Mrs), Advocate, EBS to be the Acting Commissioner General KRA with effect from 23rd February 2023 until the position is substantively and competitively filled," KRA's statement read in part.

The taxman called for applications for suitable candidates to fill the position in April 2023.

As acting Commissioner General, Wattanga will be expected to spearhead KRA’s operations and ensure that the Authority achieves its revenue targets.