Kenyans on social media have blasted The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) for publishing a new unsavory regulation that attempts to tax new or used personal or home products.
The revenue collecting body made a statement on X (previously Twitter) stating that any travelers bringing products worth USD 500 (about. Ksh 75,000) or more will be taxed.
"Remember that when travelling, you will be permitted to bring personal or household items worth USD500 or less." "Anything above the amount will be taxed," the tweet stated.
Did you read this?
The advisory responded to an earlier tweet by X user Dickson Otieno, who decried KRA's poor handling of arrivals at the JKIA, claiming that Kenya would 'lose a lot of travellers and goodwill' if the current trend continued.
"With the way KRA is handling arrivals at JKIA, Kenya will lose a lot of travellers as well as a lot of goodwill." "You'd think the money they make harassing newcomers would cover our expenses," he remarked.
"We are a failed nation." We have yet to see it. Someone's personal belongings have been strewn about. Someone's iPad has been seized. It's strange!"
Someone’s personal items have been scattered all over. Someone’s iPad has been confiscated. It’s weird.
— Dickson Otieno (@DicksonOtieno) October 27, 2023
Long queues. Frustrated visitors being forced to stay in line and open bags and show their personal items to people not wearing any gloves and ransacking their stuff.
Earlier, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua expressed his concern about suspected KRA harassment of international tourists at the country's entry and leave borders.
Mutua accused some KRA personnel of carrying out unnecessary and exaggerated checks, which he feels are frightening tourists away.
