KRA wins marketing excellence award for it’s iTax platform

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has added yet another feather on its cap, after winning a Marketing Society of Kenya (MSK) award. The Authority’s efforts to transform its domestic taxes service provision capacity through the iTax online platform received a mark of endorsement from the umbrella marketing professionals’ society during the MSK Gala 2015 ceremony, held at the Carnivore Grounds, Nairobi.

The Authority’s integrated marketing communication campaigns developed by Ogilvy Africa, picked the awards in five categories and went on to claim the overall award.

Speaking moments after receiving the MSK Award, KRA Deputy Director, Marketing, Grace Wandera, reiterated, the Authority’s commitment, to transform tax payment solutions through technology platforms. The commitment, she added, is also geared, at enhancing tax compliance and integrity as KRA, is heavily banking on Information Technology systems, to seal existing revenue collection loopholes.

The new iTax platform by KRA, is an online secure application system that was first piloted two years ago and commissioned mid last year to provide a fully-integrated and automated solution for administration of domestic taxes. From a low of 5,000 users in January 2013, KRA, has rapidly enrolled more than 2 million iTax platform users this year.

“The MSK Award, is dedicated to all domestic Taxpayers, who have embraced the iTax solution as part of the Authority’s effort to transform its customer service delivery capacity and experience,” Wandera said, adding, “This Award, is also a tribute to KRA staff who are actively facilitating the authority’s transformation agenda into a service oriented service agency, that seeks to foster Trust through facilitation.”

While commending KRA for the win, Ogilvy Africa Public Relations, Managing Director, Mr. Nick Wachira, described the accolades as an early Christmas gift for the authority which is undergoing a cultural transformation.

“These awards, go to show what the Ogilvy culture is all about. We put our clients’ interest at heart and match it to consumer insights and cutting edge creative communication execution, Wachira said, adding, “We have been doing it for 60 years in Kenya and getting better. We are the best of the global and local agencies. We know and love Kenya and Africa. We are here for good.”

In line with the Kenya Government’s efforts to automate its services, KRA is currently in the process of modernizing and automating its operations. This, is expected to simplify revenue collection as well as enhance service delivery to Kenyans.

As part of the organizational transformation agenda, underpinned in the recently unveiled KRA 6^th Corporate Plan, the Authority, she explained, has formulated robust taxpayer service delivery strategies, geared at broadening the tax base. The Corporate plan, now adopted by the Authority, she reiterated, seeks to facilitate the collection of more than Kshs 5.2trillion by the year 2018 to enable the government plug its revenue deficit.

The transformation programme, will also focus on an active Taxpayer recruitment programme to boost the active tax payer base to 4million active taxpayers within the next 3 years.