KRA Moves to Give 284 Tax Terms Their Own Kenyan Sign Language Signs

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has begun developing its first-ever Kenya Sign Language glossary for tax, customs and tax-system terminology in a move aimed at making tax information more accessible to deaf Kenyans.

The initiative brings together KRA, organisations representing persons with disabilities, legal experts and Kenya Sign Language interpreters to develop standard signs for technical terms used in tax administration.

The workshop is being conducted in partnership with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, Kenya Sign Language Interpreters Association, Kenya National Association of the Deaf and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.

By the end of the exercise, a total of 284 tax-related terms are expected to have corresponding Kenya Sign Language signs that can be used consistently when communicating tax information.

The terms will cover three major areas of KRA operations, including 115 Customs terms, 75 BSTEM terms, and 94 Domestic Taxes terms.

The development comes as KRA rolls out other initiatives to strengthen tax and customs administration, including the new Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) Platform for containerised cargo destined for Kenya’s ports.

KRA announced in July that the digital pre-arrival cargo system would require details of containerised cargo to be uploaded before the goods are loaded onto ships, with the platform becoming operational on August 3, 2026.

The authority said the system is intended to strengthen customs oversight while supporting faster and more efficient cargo clearance at Kenya’s ports.

Alongside these digital and customs reforms, KRA is also seeking to improve how tax information reaches different groups of taxpayers through initiatives such as the Kenya Sign Language glossary.

Each term in the glossary will be assigned an appropriate sign, which will be recorded to support consistent and accessible communication of tax information.

The initiative seeks to address gaps in functional tax literacy among deaf Kenyans, particularly where complex tax and customs terminology can be difficult to communicate through existing sign language vocabulary.

KRA said the standardisation will help minimise miscommunication while giving interpreters, educators and deaf taxpayers a common reference for understanding tax obligations, systems and customs processes.