KRA Plans To Use Till Numbers And Pochi La Biashara Data To Hunt Down Hidden Income

Small traders across Kenya could soon face tighter tax scrutiny as the Kenya Revenue Authority eyes mobile payment records. The taxman wants to use transaction data to find businesses that earn money but do not declare it.

Documents shared with the National Assembly’s Finance and Planning Committee show the authority is targeting Till Numbers and Pochi La Biashara accounts. KRA plans to pull data from these channels and compare it with returns filed by taxpayers.

The document says the authority wants to use financial data to identify undeclared income. This would give KRA access to third-party records, including mobile wallet details.

The move would help the agency turn business owners who do not file returns into active taxpayers. It would also expose those whose declared income does not match what the authority sees.

The surveillance targets variance cases between returns and eTIMS data, non-filers and high-credit taxpayers. These groups make up 42 per cent of the total domestic VAT register.

The plan is part of efforts to widen the tax base and close a revenue gap. KRA collected Ksh2.844 trillion in the year ending June 2026 against a target of Ksh2.977 trillion. That left a shortfall of Ksh132 billion.

The pressure has continued into the new financial year. In the first quarter of 2026/2027, the authority collected Ksh749.678 billion against a target of Ksh775.953 billion. This was a deficit of Ksh26.275 billion.

Employers are also in the spotlight. KRA told MPs it will audit firms that report large workforces but remit low PAYE. It will match payroll data with third-party records and Housing Levy deductions.

The authority will track companies that keep high staff numbers while submitting minimal or zero levy deductions. A payroll compliance push has already flagged about Ksh5.3 billion in potential revenue from non-remitting employers and uncollected deductions.

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