With just days remaining before the June 30 tax amnesty deadline, the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has rolled out a wave of reminder messages to individual taxpayers—some of which have left recipients bewildered over unexpected claims of tax arrears.

Through the campaign, KRA is targeting individuals with unpaid principal tax, promising a full waiver on penalties and interest for those who clear their dues before the deadline.

One such message read:“Our records indicate that you owe principal tax of  Sh77,479.75 as at 31/12/2023. Please settle by 30/06/2025 to enjoy 100% waiver on penalties & interest.”

But instead of reassuring taxpayers, the reminders have triggered confusion and suspicion, especially among Kenyans who believed they were fully compliant.

“Looks like KRA has decided that we must pay for the odious debt now, or what? Why am I getting messages that I owe tax for 2023, a year I was still on campus?” asked @aztronist on X.

Another user, @Prroh, voiced concern:
“Every year, I’ve been paying my taxes as required, and I file my tax returns in time. Today, for the first time, I’m getting this message from KRA.”

According to tax experts, such notifications often result from unresolved principal tax, either due to actual unpaid amounts or simple filing mistakes.

“There are several reasons why a taxpayer may have outstanding principal tax,” said finance and taxation expert Peter Ndirangu.

He explained that taxpayers who file returns showing tax due but forget to pay, or fail to claim allowable reliefs like insurance, personal, or pension deductions, may end up with a tax balance.

In some cases, discrepancies arise when employers deduct Pay As You Earn (PAYE) from employee salaries but fail to remit it to KRA. This results in the employee being wrongly flagged as non-compliant.

To avoid penalties, Ndirangu urged taxpayers to verify their status through the iTax platform. One way is by applying for a Tax Compliance Certificate (TCC), which highlights any issues that need resolving.

Another method is attempting to generate an eSlip under Payments > Payment Registration. If no eSlip appears, it usually indicates that no payment is due.

Taxpayers dealing with more complicated issues—especially those involving employer remittances—have been advised to visit KRA offices, though service delays are expected as the amnesty deadline nears.