The Kenya Revenue Authority has directed that all taxes made through mobile money will now be channeled through the government paybill number 222222, effective immediately.
In a statement Friday, the tax authority said the change aligns with President William Ruto’s order to consolidate the collection of government revenue.
Taxpayers are advised to use their Payment Registration Number or Reference Number generated from KRA systems as the account number when paying taxes via mobile money, the statement said.
To pay taxes by mobile money, enter the paybill 222222, then enter the PRN as the account number, followed by the payment amount and PIN.
Alternatively, taxpayers can dial *222# to access the KRA payment menu, enter their E-slip number, select M-Pesa as the payment mode, enter their M-Pesa PIN and complete the transaction.
This comes after at least 17 CEOs of various state agencies were summoned over failure to comply with a presidential directive on payments of services through eCitizen.
Among those summoned include heads of Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Power and Lighting Company, Kenya National Examination Council and National Hospital Insurance Fund. Others are the Higher Education Loans Board, the Hustler Fund and the Agricultural Finance Corporation.
Heads of Kenyatta National Hospital, Kenya Bureau of Standards, Kenya Ports Authority, National Cereals and Produce Board, National Aids Control Council, the Mathari Referral and Teaching Hospital, Kenya Railways Corporation, Kenya Ferry Services Limited, Kenya National Trading Corporation and the Kenya School of Government are also set to appear.
Wanjau said the summons followed a comply-or-explain letter issued on August 4 this year. Principal secretaries for State Departments under which the agencies fall and board chairpersons will be in attendance.
The summons come a day after Immigration and Citizen Services PS Julis Bitok warned that executives risk losing their jobs for failing to declare all revenues collected on the eCitizen platform. An analysis found a discrepancy between potential and declared revenue, indicating funds diversion.
Although agencies were granted a temporary exemption from closing pay bills, they must still meet the December 31 eCitizen deadline, Wanjau noted.