All employees in the same cadre are expected to function/perform the same type of work in as far as revenue collection is concerned; the annual targets are generally the same for both types of employees. It is important to note that some staff have been on contract since 2014 (on similar T&C’s). Some officers (KRA 3) have been in the same job-grade for lengthy periods (some even +10 years). While this is happening, some graduates fresh from college/university with no ‘experience’ in tarmacking and with very little to no job experience are hired to more senior positions for reasons well known to KRA staff and the general public.
While there is the difference between a contract staff and a permanent staff who are considered to be within the same cadre, the difference is even far greater between the officers (KRA 3)-Kshs 99,000 and the supervisors (KRA 4)- Kshs 170,000. The take home salary of an entry level KRA 3 is approximately Kshs 74,300 while that of the next cadre (KRA 4) is approximately Kshs 124,300. Basically, the salary+allowances of an officer before tax is far below that of a supervisor (KRA 4) after tax.
If there is one thing that has skyrocketed in Nairobi is house rent and for an officer and more so a contract staff this therefore means that they have to live outside Nairobi (in Rongai, Kiambu, Ruiru, Thika, in SQ’s etc.). This is made even worse whereby one has a family and is at the same time trying to advance their studies (CPA, CPS, masters, PHD etc.). How is this employee expected to survive in livable conditions? Put in mind that this is the very employee that you have entrusted with the responsibility of conducting assessments, issuance of demand notices (some that run into hundreds of thousands and others millions of shillings), issuance of tax compliance certificates, pin amendments whilst knowing very well that this employee is leaving from hand to mouth. How can a rational management expect a pack of hungry hyenas to herd well fattened sheep? Let us keep in mind the fact that we are all animals only difference among us being thatwe as humans have a ‘mind’. So the next time that you are being served by a KRA officer be mindful of the staff ID before resorting to bash them with all manner of insults and despicable names. Let us please remember the Russian saying that “fish rots from the head downwards.”
The grand master (CG) –commissioners (KRA 9) – Deputy Commissioners (KRA 8) – Chief Managers (KRA 7) – managers (KRA 6) – Assistant managers (KRA 5) – supervisors (KRA 4) – officers (KRA 3) – support staff.
There has been many instances whereby some prominent/senior individuals have been cleared through orders from above as it relates to clearance certificates amongst numerous other dubious deals. (Miracles happen at the various Kenyan ports of entry. Seizing top of the range vehicles ‘albeit used’, disguised as home electronics is not even a slight tip of the iceberg). If the DPP and the DCI are to be taken seriously on the fight against the rot that is at KRA and for this not to be just another mere case of applying make-up and window dressing tactics let them conduct proper investigations as to the on-goings at Times Tower.
Please stop wasting the taxpayer’s resources by pestering around and punishing extremely junior officers and their contract counterparts who have very little hope if any of ever being a full member of KRA, for the ‘sins of the father’. If you want the real players let us be honest and with this scare tactics on the mere foot soldiers.
Let us have an honest discussion on how these staff are meant to survive and work well with their well ‘fed’ colleagues from other departments who are hastily promoted from one cadre to the next. (You joined the service with somebody and today they are 2 or 3 grades above you, yet you both have the same academic credentials and at times you find that you have even better credentials, accumulated knowledge and the experience of dealing in multifaceted environments.
The bottom line remains that if you are to fix the system you should cease with the ‘cosmetic repairs’ and get to the bottom of the rot, otherwise, get rid of the current crop , bring in a new crop with the environment remaining constant and soon in another 2 to 3 years you shall conduct another investigation culminating to a raid, interdicting those staff and hiring new ones to replace them just for the very same to be replicated again (and while all this is happening, the chief priests shall be wining and dining).
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results”.
The recent arrests (at one’s workstation) have induced fear amongst DTD and C&BC staff that many are scared of doing the even the right thing for fear that ISO detectives who some fail to understand how difficult revenue collection is, viewing their fellow colleagues as suspects even when that person is dispensing their mandate honestly.
But of course it must be noted that there are some staff who are simply fueled by greed and while at it let us not forget that there are the vast majority who are in it for livable survival.
The KRA management (MrNjiraini) can better explain the poor revenue performance over the years by the use of better metrics than by showmanship, just remember that you lead the pack and through concerted efforts your very own deals are pretty dirty. To the holier than thou commissioner Mburu- actually scratch that how did you become a commissioner and please enlighten the general public on what was the goal in sight that has since dissapeared. (Simple question to the Top man, when was the last time, if ever, that you used the common mwananchi (taxpayers and common staff) lifts (are they safe AT ALL? WOULD YOU USE THEM?) at KRA Times Tower. But I have to commend you on the fact that the VIP lift (SOMEWHAT) is state of the art.
