The High Court has dealt the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) a major blow after ruling that the hiring of 1406 Revenue Assistants that was done by the Authority was unconstitutional. It was unlawful because it did not meet the ethnic diversity requirements.
The ruling was made by Justice William Musyoka and he stated that the recruitment that was done in June 2023 violated Articles 10, 27, 56 and 232 of the Constitution.
The Board of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and the Commissioner General were also prohibited from conducting any recruitment and appointing officials at all levels until they meet the Constitutional requirements for ethnic diversity and regional balance.
The Revenue Service Assistants were deployed across the country and they were given the task of helping the public with major tax issues. They have been operating in different parts of the country.
The High Court also ruled that a declaration that the 9th October 2023 advertisement for 600 graduate trainees to the extent it limits employment opportunities to youths of 28 years, is unconstitutional as it offends the preamble to the Constitution and Articles 10, 27, 56 232 and 260 of the Constitution.
This is indeed a major blow to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) because it has now been limited to employing people until the authority addresses the ethnic diversity and regional balance. It is now upon the authority to do the needful and the necessary things so as to put the house in order again. Let us hope that the Kenya Revenue Authority will address the issue as ordered by the High Court.