Kenya Revenue Authority

TAXPAYER EDUCATION
By Ignatious Isigi 

Have you ever wondered why you pay taxes? Have you ever wondered where the taxes you pay go to?

Oliver Mendel Holmes stated that taxes are what we pay for a civilized society. The government charges levies on goods, services, and earnings and then pools resources to provide services like education, health and others.

The paying of taxes began in Egypt between 3000 to2800 BC. In the Bible, when Jesus said give Caesar what belongs to Caesar he meant taxes. In Kenya, tax paying was established through an act of parliament chapter 469 of laws of Kenya.

Tax payers have their rights which should not be violated. The right to information requires that a  tax payer is provided with information of how their tax will be arrived at and the amount they have to pay.A tax payer also has the right to impartiality. Only the correct amount of duties, levies, taxes and fees should be collected from them.

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Email:callcentre@kra.go.ke 

Taxation has various benefits such as education, medical services, improved infrastructure, rural electrification, youth and women fund,HELB loans and sovereign pride. 

However ,tax evasion has its effects. It may lead to a heavy burden of financing government on fewer shoulders. It may also lead to reduced pace of development due to limited funding. Moreover, it leads to lack of sovereign pride.