The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has issued a directive to tax personal or household items worth 500 USD and over (KSH 75,000), whether new or usedbrought by tourists visiting the country.
This decision prompted strong protests from Kenyan legislators and citizens alike. The National Assembly Committee on Defense and External Relations expressed concern that the directive was being misused by some KRA officials to harass tourists, thereby damaging the country's reputation.
Committee chairman Nelson Koech said Kenya should focus instead on increasing the number of tourists. He added that while restrictions on goods are applied worldwide, this should not be an excuse to intimidate or harass passengers, or to invade tourists' privacy.
Taxing tourists' belongings: a difficult measure to implement?
The KRA's surprising approach has raised a number of questions, both at home and abroad, as it could prove difficult to implement and, above all, manage properly in the future. After thevisa-free for allIn fact, according to recent statements by the Kenyan tax authorities, we could now be moving towards a policy of "visa-free travel".taxes for all"This may discourage future visitors, even if no rate has been announced.
- How can we effectively control the goods brought in by tourists? How can we add value to them?
- What impact would this deterrent measure have on tourism?
- How can we ensure a fair and compliant implementation of the tax directive?
A simple example Taking a computer, smartphone and tablet with you on a trip could prove costly. It remains to be seen whether the directive will actually be passed... and enforced.
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