Why KRA is now trawling your Instagram posts

Who files nil returns and yet drives around in a Range Rover or Toyota Land Cruiser V8, sipping champagne, nibbling caviar, and leaving the blogosphere green with envious 'followers'?

“Here we are not sleeping, when we see those, we see taxes,” says Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General Githii Mburu. "We are working exceptionally hard.”

In an interview with the Business Daily, he adds: "When they (KRA officers) see a big car passing, they key in the number plates to check. They have gadgets."

The most popular social media platforms for the garish display of wealth are Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat.

It is this determined ruthlessness that has seen the taxman collect KSh154.38 billion in October, against a target of KSh142.285 billion.

KRA Ups Collection

KRA started the new financial year well, surpassing its July-September target of KSh461.65 billion by KSh15 billion. Mburu attributes this 30 per cent growth to widening of the tax bracket and catching cheats.

The Domestic Taxes category continues to be best performing - with KSh96.62 billion collected against a target of KSh90.7 billion.

Commissioner Mburu adds that the revenue body has access to the Integrated Financial Management System whereby they know suppliers to government agencies who do not pay requisite taxes.

"We have access to IFMIS and we want to see anyone being paid by government; is he or that business paying taxes? We are also able to work with third parties like Kenya Power."

In the end, what belongs to Ceasar.......?