Ignore rumours, Njiraini still KRA Commissioner General - Chairman Muthaura

Kenya Revenue Authority board chairman Francis Muthaura on Monday dispelled the rumours circulating in social media that the taxman's Commissioner General John Njiraini was barred from accessing his office.

He said Njiraini still in office and will serve until the expiry of his term by end of June 2019. "The transition will be handled in an orderly manner," Muthaura said.

"The board assures taxpayers and KRA stakeholders that this transition will be handled in accordance with the existing KRA human resource management policies, which are clear on succession planning," the former head of Public Service said in a statement to newsrooms.

Earlier, social media was a wash awash with information that indicated that Njiraini turned up for work only to find his office locked, keys changed and a notice pinned on the door that his term had elapsed. 

But Muthaura said the board has full confidence in Njiraini and that there is no vacuum. 

He said that KRA's senior leadership team is well facilitated to function and that they are focused on their mandate. "The board will communicate any changes through the right channels," Muthaura said.

Njiraini rose to the post of Commissioner General after previously serving as the authority's Commissioner of Domestic Taxes and was pivotal in ensuring Members of Parliament were finally looped into the tax paying bracket.

He was first appointed into the helm of KRA in 2012 by President Uhuru Kenyatta when he was the Minister of Finance. 

Njiraini's departure in June will end a seven-year term at the authority.