Kenya appoints Adan Mohamed as tax chief amid revenue pressure

Kenya has appointed Adan Abdulla Mohamed as Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), in a major leadership reshuffle as President William Ruto’s government faces growing pressure to raise revenue without deepening public frustration over taxes.

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi appointed Mohamed to a three-year term effective immediately, according to a government gazette on Monday,  formalising the leadership change at the country’s tax authority as Kenya struggles with rising debt servicing costs, weaker economic growth and persistent revenue shortfalls.

Mohamed replaces Humphrey Wattanga, whose exit in April came abruptly after KRA’s board declined to renew his contract. The authority gave no detailed explanation for the decision beyond thanking him for his service and role in organisational restructuring.

The move comes as tax collection has become one of the most politically sensitive parts of Ruto’s economic agenda. The government has leaned heavily on KRA to finance spending plans and narrow budget deficits, even as businesses and households grapple with high living costs and slower consumer demand.

Under Wattanga, KRA expanded digital monitoring systems, tightened enforcement and increased scrutiny of businesses and imports in an effort to widen the tax base. Business groups and manufacturers said the measures increased compliance costs in an already weak economy.

Mohamed takes over an agency expected to deliver stronger collections while avoiding further strain on economic activity. Parliament is currently debating proposals under the Finance Bill 2026 aimed at widening the tax net and tightening compliance measures.

His appointment signals continuity in Kenya’s revenue strategy even after Wattanga’s abrupt exit. Kenya remains under pressure to improve domestic revenue mobilisation as part of broader fiscal reforms backed by lenders, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

KRA collected KES 2.038 trillion ($15.7 billion) in the nine months through March 2026, missing its KES 2.122 trillion ($17 billion) target but posting 11.4% growth from a year earlier, according to KRA data. The revenue authority attributed the increase to wider digital compliance systems and data-driven tax administration, even as businesses continued to push back against rising enforcement pressure.