Taxpayers who were unable to file returns or make payments on time because of iTax disruptions in September have been given relief, with the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) announcing that penalties and interest linked to the system failure will be waived.
The tax authority said the decision follows intermittent interruptions that affected access to key services on the iTax platform, disrupting normal return filing and payment activities.
In a notice issued on Wednesday, September 16, KRA said the waiver will apply to penalties and interest incurred as a result of the system downtime experienced during September 2026.
The Authority said the relief will be based on the actual period when the affected iTax services were unavailable or could only be accessed intermittently.
“The waiver will be effected in accordance with Section 89(5A) of the Tax Procedures Act, taking into account the period during which the affected iTax services were unavailable or intermittently inaccessible,” KRA said.
KRA said it will also put in place the required system measures to remove charges that can be confirmed to have resulted from the disruption.
“KRA will undertake the necessary system processes to ensure that penalties and interest attributable to the verified period of system downtime are waived,” said the Authority.
The announcement followed an earlier alert from KRA notifying taxpayers that its online tax platform was facing repeated interruptions.
“We are currently experiencing intermittent disruptions affecting the iTax system,” KRA said in an earlier notice.
The Authority said its technical teams were addressing the problem as it worked towards bringing the affected services back to normal operation.
KRA, however, did not immediately state what had caused the interruptions or give a specific timeline for the complete restoration of the platform.
The iTax system serves as a key online platform through which individuals and businesses access tax services.
Among the services available on the platform are updating tax registration information, submitting tax returns, registering tax payments and making enquiries on payment status.
Taxpayers can also use iTax to keep track of their tax ledger or account in real time.
The interruptions therefore created difficulties for taxpayers seeking to complete filing and payment transactions through the system during the affected period.
Under the latest arrangement, KRA said taxpayers will not be required to carry the financial burden of penalties and interest that arose directly from the verified period of iTax downtime.
The Authority said the waiver would be handled through its system processes after establishing the period during which the relevant services were affected.
KRA also expressed regret over the difficulties experienced by taxpayers and thanked them for their patience and cooperation while the technical problem was being addressed.
“The Authority regrets the inconvenience caused and appreciates taxpayers for their patience and cooperation,” KRA said.
The revenue authority said it remains committed to supporting tax compliance by ensuring taxpayers have access to reliable solutions and services.