The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has broadly rolled out the Tax Invoice Management System (TIMS), aiming to automate the existing Electronic Tax Register (ETR).
The system is able to transmit the tax invoices that are being generated from the registers to KRA on real time or near real time basis with the integration of trader systems.
Speaking today during the presentation at a Nairobi Hotel, Chief Manager Domestic Taxes Department and Project Manager TIMS, Hakamba Wangwe, said that TIMS is an enhancement of the ETR regime,that was rolled out in 2005.
She also pointed out that the TIMS system aims at plugging loopholes resulting from weakness, through the regime of integration with the trader system and the verification of the validity of Tax invoice by KRA officers.
She at the same time stated that in support of the system, KRA has emplaced Value-added Tax (VAT) in electronic tax invoice regulation that were published in 2020.
Wangwe added that taxpayers were given 12 months to put in place and comply with the requirement as from 1st August 2021 to 31st July 2022.
“All VAT registered taxpayers should have upgraded their systems and come on board with the TIMS compliant devices, so that from 1st August 2022 all invoices that are being generated from VAT registered taxpayers will be validated through TIMS and then transmitted into the KRA system,” said Wangwe.
She also stated that the TIMS system will benefit taxpayers by fostering a fair business environment, simplify VAT return filling (Pre-Filled), automate activation of tax registers and make the VAT refunds faster.
“The System will also benefit the public by building trust between the customer and business entity, participate in enhancing Tax compliance and foster patriotism,” she added.
The VAT registered taxpayers have the support team from KRA in case of any clarifications and they can reach out to timsupport@kra.go.ke.
By Mwereza K Sorotina and Abdiaziz Mohamed
