Sharp Daily
No Result
View All Result
Friday, June 6, 2025
  • Home
  • News
    • Politics
  • Business
    • Banking
  • Investments
  • Technology
  • Startups
  • Real Estate
  • Features
  • Appointments
  • About Us
    • Meet The Team
Sharp Daily
  • Home
  • News
    • Politics
  • Business
    • Banking
  • Investments
  • Technology
  • Startups
  • Real Estate
  • Features
  • Appointments
  • About Us
    • Meet The Team
No Result
View All Result
Sharp Daily
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Tax scandal and worker exploitation rock Kenya’s private security sector

Brenda Murungi by Brenda Murungi
February 5, 2024
in News
Reading Time: 2 mins read

Major private security companies are on the spot over tax evasion, denying the government KES14.6 billion in the last eight years, according to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).

Despite security firms charging clients substantial amounts, up to KES 50,000 per guard, many security guards are reportedly being cheated out of millions of shillings monthly by their employers through income under-declaration. Guards allegedly receive only KES 6,000 to KES 10,000 in monthly salary.

Reports from the Intelligence and Strategic Operations Department of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) between 2021 and May of the previous year alleged that several firms engaged in tax evasion practices, including under-declaration or non-declaration of income, tax fraud, dishonest tax reporting, understating employee numbers, and overstating deductions.

These findings emerge amid a conflict between private security firms and the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PSRA) regarding the enhancement of working conditions for security guards.

RELATEDPOSTS

Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) dismisses 19 staff in a renewed anti-corruption drive

February 13, 2025

New KRA Chairman Ndiritu Muriithi pledges professional transformation

December 30, 2024

According to the PSRA, the total minimum pay should be Sh30,000, while the statutory deductions are to be National Social Security Fund (NSSF) of KES 1,080, Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) of KES 825, Pay as You Earn KES 1,229.75. However, some firms do not remit some of these statutory deductions, further exposing the guards.

For this reason the Chief Executive of the Private Security Regulatory Authority (PRSA), Mahamud Fazul,  introduced new guidelines, including a mandated minimum monthly salary ranging from KES 27,000 to KES 30,000, which security firms are required to adhere to.

Fazul emphasized that only private security firms complying with these regulations would be permitted to continue their operations.

On fictitious VAT claims, KRA revealed that some of the firms fraudulently claimed more purchases on VAT3 than the corresponding sales declared by suppliers. “The taxpayers claimed fictitious purchases and the VAT attributable to the purchases amounting to the fictitious VAT claimed ought to be disallowed,” one of the reports read.

Among the companies included in the reports are Kenya Kazi Linited, Lavington Securities Ltd, Securex Agencies Kenya Limited, Wells Fargo Ltd, BABS Security Limited and Delta Guards Ltd. Others are Gyto Success Company Ltd, Riley Falcon Security Services Ltd, Total Securities Surveillance Ltd, and Wins Guards Ltd.

Regarding one of the companies, the KRA report highlighted: “Upon examination of the taxpayer’s claimed purchases on VAT3 returns from various suppliers, it was discovered that the taxpayer deceitfully asserted more purchases on VAT3 than the sales declared by suppliers, amounting to KES 7,454,870 for the period between 2016 and 2021. Input VAT totalling KES 1,005,726 should be rejected.”

The report also indicates that examinations of the firms’ bank accounts exposed instances where they understated income tax and VAT turnovers.  Additionally, some companies were identified for not accurately reporting the total number of their employees, as per the intelligence report.

Another company is accused of investing in a subsidiary company in Mauritius, a country traditionally considered to be a corporate tax haven.

An analysis done on nine of the company’s 16 bank accounts revealed under-declared income tax turnover of KES 562.6 million for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020.

In response, the firms have dismissed a directive to increase their guards’ salaries. In a joint press statement, the Kenya Security Industry Association and Protective and Safety Association of Kenya said the directive was illegal. They said the directive ought to have been gazetted by Labour Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore, before it is enforced.

Previous Post

Embakasi residents flee the area amid suspected fresh gas leaks

Next Post

Embracing Sustainable Finance is a moral obligation and strategic imperative for commercial banks

Brenda Murungi

Brenda Murungi

Related Posts

News

Co-op Bank posts KES 6.9 billion profit in Q1’2025

May 16, 2025
Agriculture And Economy
News

Lets get Kenya out of FATF list

May 9, 2025
News

The downside of Impact Investing

May 2, 2025
News

Leadership challenges at the University of Nairobi

April 24, 2025
News

Easter eggs and earnings: Growing your nest egg with CMMF

April 16, 2025
News

Geoffrey Ruku declares KES 377M net worth during CS vetting

April 15, 2025

LATEST STORIES

How Kenya’s E-Mobility shift could redefine urban planning

June 5, 2025

Economic liberators are the real heroes and heroines of the year

June 5, 2025

Affordable retirement planning for small businesses with CURBS

June 5, 2025

How Kenyan banks can modernize without marginalizing

June 4, 2025

Human rights concerns over activists’ treatment in Tanzania

June 4, 2025

Decoding stock-based compensation

June 4, 2025

Comparative advantage is the secret to real economic take off

June 4, 2025

Understanding inflation and its impact on everyday life

June 4, 2025
  • About Us
  • Meet The Team
  • Careers
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Email us: editor@thesharpdaily.com

Sharp Daily © 2024

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Politics
  • Business
    • Banking
  • Investments
  • Technology
  • Startups
  • Real Estate
  • Features
  • Appointments
  • About Us
    • Meet The Team

Sharp Daily © 2024