Nairobi, 1st July 2025 – The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced a five-day extension for filing income tax returns following widespread system failures on the deadline day, June 30. The new deadline is now 5th July 2025, with the tax body waiving all penalties and interest for late submissions under Section 89 (5A)(b) of the Tax Procedures Act.
The decision comes after a surge of complaints from taxpayers unable to access the KRA iTax portal due to overwhelming traffic, sparking public outcry and forcing the authority to first extend the deadline by 24 hours before granting further relief.
System Collapse Sparks Fury
On June 30, thousands of Kenyans attempting to file their KRA returns encountered login failures, slow processing, and transaction errors on the KRA portal. Frustrated taxpayers took to social media to voice their grievances, with many accusing the system of being ill-prepared for the annual rush.
Brian Karanja tweeted, “Your site is not working. We can’t even log in!” while Susan Wanjiru lamented, “iTax is overwhelmed!” The backlash prompted KRA to issue an initial 24-hour extension, urging taxpayers to use internet banking to bypass the congested portal.
However, with technical issues persisting, the tax authority later issued a public notice confirming a full waiver of penalties for filings completed by July 5.
What Taxpayers Need to Know
- New Deadline: File KRA returns for the year ending December 31, 2024, by July 5, 2025.
- Penalty Waiver: No interest or late fees for submissions made by the new date.
- Payment Methods: KRA recommends direct bank transfers or approved commercial bank platforms to avoid last-minute hitches.
Commissioner General KRA emphasized, “We acknowledge the challenges faced and assure taxpayers of our commitment to a smooth filing process.”
Why the iTax Portal Crashed
Experts attribute the system failure to a combination of factors:
- Unprecedented Traffic: A last-minute rush by taxpayers who traditionally file close to the deadline.
- Infrastructure Strain: The KRA portal, while robust, struggled under peak demand, exposing gaps in scalability.
- Payment Bottlenecks: High volumes of simultaneous transactions overwhelmed banking integrations.
How to File Before the New Deadline
Taxpayers are advised to:
- Log in early to avoid congestion on itax.kra.go.ke.
- Ensure their KRA PIN details are updated.
- Use alternative payment methods like mobile banking or direct deposits.
Broader Implications for KRA
This incident highlights recurring challenges in Kenya’s tax administration, including:
- Public Trust: Persistent system failures risk eroding taxpayer confidence.
- Compliance Culture: While extensions help, reliance on last-minute filings strains resources.
- Digital Readiness: Calls for upgrades to the KRA iTax infrastructure to handle peak loads.
What’s Next?
KRA has pledged to review system performance and expand server capacity ahead of future deadlines. Meanwhile, taxpayers are urged to act swiftly to meet the July 5 cutoff.
Final Reminder:
- File Now: Avoid penalties by submitting returns via itax.kra.go.ke.
- Verify Payments: Ensure transactions reflect in KRA accounts to avoid disputes.
- Report Issues: Contact KRA’s support channels for assistance.
