Members of Parliament have voted to retain the name of Kenya Revenue Authority as is after the withdrawal of an amendment that sought to rename it to the Kenya Revenue Service.

Majority leader in the National Assembly Amos Kimunya resolved to withdraw the bill after amendments proposed by Garissa Township MP Aden Duale elicited heated debate on the management team of the Kenya Revenue Authority.

While presenting this year’s budget, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani proposed to rename the Kenya Revenue Authority to Kenya Revenue Service to rebrand the taxman and transform its public image.

The Kenya Revenue Authority has over the year’s grappled with among others tax apathy. Yatani envisioned that the rebrand would make KRA people friendly to increase tax compliance. However, the proposed changes have been shot down by the National Assembly.

After a heated exchange, Majority Leader in the National Assembly Amos Kimunya opted to withdraw the bill.

This means the Kenya Revenue Authority maintains its title as is, an end to a journey, at least as of now, to an attempt to rebrand to the Kenya Revenue Service whose quest begun last December through a tweet seeking public views.

By Fred Azelwa.