The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) extended the 2024 income tax filing deadline by five days until midnight on July 5, 2025 and waived penalties and interest for late submissions after a technical failure disrupted the iTax portal on the final deadline day.
The authority first granted a brief 24-hour extension to July 1 following widespread voter frustration with system crashes. However, new evidence shows the portal again failed under heavy traffic, prompting KRA to further extend the deadline and introduce financial relief for affected taxpayers.
Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga said the iTax system buckled under demand, preventing many Kenyans from completing their filings on time. He stated, “Due to the high volume of taxpayers attempting to file their returns on 30th June, 2025, the system experienced technical difficulties which disrupted the normal functioning of the return filing and payment services.”
Under Section 89(5a)(b) of the Tax Procedures Act, KRA can waive penalties for late filing. Wattanga assured the public, “We will undertake to waive any interest or penalties that may accrue due to late filing, provided that such returns are filed by 5th July, 2025.”
The extension targets taxpayers who tried but failed to complete return filing and payments on time. KRA also extended customer service hours, its contact centre will run from 7 am to 8 pm, and service centres, including Huduma Centres will stay open until 8 pm daily. KRA urged taxpayers to use these extended services to meet the new deadline.
Experts welcomed the measures, describing them as a reasonable reaction to a nationwide digital outage. Tax analyst Lucy Ndungu said the move “protects compliant taxpayers who faced technical barriers, ensuring fairness and trust in Kenya’s tax ecosystem.”
KRA thanked Kenyans for their overwhelming turnout, calling it a sign of patriotism and commitment to civic responsibility. Wattanga noted that high traffic on the portal also reflected public confidence in the tax system.
Failing to file by July 5 now risks penalties of 5 percent of tax due or Sh2,000, whichever is higher, plus additional fines and interest. Therefore, KRA strongly recommends prompt electronic filing via iTax. The authority warned that further delays will attract full penalties, affecting access to government services, including business licensing and Government procurement eligibility.
This extension comes as part of KRA’s ongoing compliance drive. The agency recently offered amnesty on interest and penalties for outstanding taxes accrued before December 31, 2023, part of a broader effort to ease taxpayer burdens and boost revenue collection.
As of the mid-year, KRA had collected over KSh 140 billion in back taxes from one million taxpayers. Analysts predict the new deadline will help shore up final tax collections and reduce compliance gaps.
KRA now encourages all individuals, self-employed persons, business owners, landlords, farmers, and even those with zero income to file NIL returns where applicable. The agency emphasized that filing remains mandatory for all registered PIN holders.
Moving forward, KRA said it is working to stabilize the iTax platform and improve its capacity to handle peak traffic volumes. The authority also plans permanent upgrades to its infrastructure to prevent future outages and taxpayer frustration.
For now, the current deadline remains July 5. After that, KRA will resume normal enforcement.
