Kenyangriot

Responsible Foresight |Deliberative Democracy, De-colonising Economics|Alumni @issnl and Leading in Public Life fellow @MandelaUct XDFID Governance Adviser

[Kenyangriot @kenyangriot]

Where is the Empathy? When patients must seek ministers directly, it shows systemic failure. Their desperate measures reflect exhausted options and unmet needs through normal channels.

Why arrest this lady?

[CPA Wachira Joseph @WashiraX]

Kenya has introduced a new 25% tax on software subscriptions.

One of the principles of a good tax system is simplicity.

Taxes should be easy to understand. Easy to comply with. And inexpensive to administer.

Finance Act 2026 has introduced new rules for software subscriptions.

• The Act now classifies payments for software licences and software subscriptions as royalties.

- As a result, every time you pay an overseas software company, you are now required to withhold 20% tax and remit it to KRA.

- Then pay the software company the remaining 80%.

For example.

Suppose you pay Google, Amazon or Microsoft USD 1,000 every year for software subscriptions.

The law says:
• Confiscate 20%, USD 200.
• Remit it to KRA.

Then pay the software company USD 800.

There is only one problem, however.
- Software subscriptions are paid either in full or not at all.

Google does not care that you have complied with the Kenyan tax laws. You either pay them 1,000 USD or go home.

So what happens to continue using the software and keep KRA happy?

- You pay Google their full USD 1,000.

In doing so, KRA treats the USD 1,000 as the net amount after withholding tax. That means the original invoice is deemed to have been USD 1,250. How?

Ulikua unaangalia mwalimu na ruler ukiuliza hesabu ya cross multiplication itakusaidia aje maishani. Ona Sasa.

If USD 1,000 = 80%,
Then 100% = USD 1,250.

The withholding tax therefore becomes USD 250.

Meaning:
• Google gets their full USD 1,000.
• Then you go back to your pocket to pay KRA USD 250.

Total software cost = USD 1,250.

In effect, the law has quietly introduced a 25% tax on many software subscriptions.

Even if a small taxpayer genuinely wanted to comply, how exactly are they supposed to comply when the giant software company insists on being paid in full?

This is the new law. Adjust accordingly.

[Moe @moneyacademyKE]

The World Bank has given Kenya more than 10 conditions before it can access the next round of loans.

Here are 10 of the main conditions explained in simple terms.

Thread below:

[Sholla Ard 🇰🇪 @sholard_mancity]

The Auditor-General reveals 5 acres in Ngong Road Forest have been allocated to a private investor for a private lodge and wellness retreat for 25 yrs

with no details on how the developer was identified and no EIA report provided.

(KFS Audit Report, page 8)

Even more concerning: the licence runs for 25 years, yet the forest management plan is only 5 years.

[Kenyangriot @kenyangriot]

Taiwan accuses Kenya of deporting conference delegates on China’s behalf | News | Al Jazeera https://t.co/KPzU3etGD8 via @AJEnglish

[Daily Times Nigeria @DailyTimesNGR]

Dora Akunyili’s daughter, Njideka Akunyili Crosby, has painted the first official portrait of Barack and Michelle Obama for the Obama Presidential Center. A proud Nigerian moment, proving once again that our talent shines on the world stage.

#AkunyiliLegacy #TrendingNow

[Michelle Obama @MichelleObama]

Barack and I were so honored to have @AkunyiliCrosby create our portrait for the Obama Presidential Center. Her artistic brilliance shines through — and the way she infused such life and joy into the piece is truly extraordinary. We love it, and we think everyone who visits the Center will too!

[Kenyangriot @kenyangriot]

@Kibet_bull These are our African brothers and East Africans. We need to decolonize our minds from hating on other Africans.

[Prof. Alfred Omenya @aomenya]

Today is one of the saddest day in my life. I never imagined that this would happen in my alma mater. There is a sense of desperation, hopelessness and helplessness in the country. Even those who went to Alliance or are in Alliance are not immune to this situation.

[Lawrence Gostin @LawrenceGostin]

The US still plans to open an Ebola unit in Kenya, despite a High Court block. In @medpagetoday I explain why that's dangerous & unlawful. My video shows why this is a disaster

https://t.co/BMUBlgF1BU

[CPA Wachira Joseph @WashiraX]

KRA wants a share of dowry money.

There is a guy called Kamau.

When it was time to buy his wife, he mobilized his most monied buddies.

He put them in a WhatsApp group. The fundraising began.

Those boys were loaded. They were only 35.
By by the time they were done, they had contributed 4.5 million shillings.

Others who were not in the group wired money directly to Kamau's bank account.

The ruracio D-Day arrived.

And as always, the one and only Kikuyu ruracio anthem was tuned.

🎶 Wero... Werokamu guku kwa wa Kanini... Werokamu... 🎶

Before they could finish the song, more than 2,000 people had pulled up.

Wakaanza kutoa funjo. Then one man stood on a stool and announced they could not sit until they had given Kamau top up money to add to the dowry.

The donation book was hurriedly brought. People lined up. Cash started flowing.

By the end of the day, another 2.8 million shillings had been raised.

Kamau took the money and banked it.

Total dowry contribution sitting at his bank account: 8m shillings.

The ceremony became the talk of Gatundu South.

Kamau paid his dowry. Collected his wife. And went home peacefully.

• Lesson 1. Monied friends are good for paying dowry.

I have no clue how. But sometime later, Kamau was marked for a KRA tax audit.

KRA went straight for his bank statements. They found deposits of 8 million shillings.

Immediately, they baptized the entire amount as undeclared taxable income.

Then demanded: 30% income tax. Penalties plus interest.

Total bill: 2.5 million shillings plus.

When Kamau saw the tax bill, he went mad.
He could try to talk but words would not come out. He nearly swallowed his tongue.

When he came back to real life. He shipped a protest letter to KRA.

He explained the money was dowry contribution from his family, friends and well wishers.

- He produced WhatsApp group fundraising screenshots.
- He produced RTGS confirmations.
- He produced the donation book.
- He even produced videos of the ceremony.

Including footage of the Werokamu song.

KRA could not hear any of it. They only wanted 2.5 million.

When Kamau realized KRA was not playing, he ran to court.

He told the Tribunal:

- My lord, look. I have shown KRA where the money came from.
- I have shown KRA who contributed it.
- I have shown KRA the ceremony.
- What more do they want from me?

KRA responded.
And what they said nearly made the judges fall off their chairs.

They argued the evidence was not convincing.

Why?

• Because the 2,000 plus donors had not sworn affidavits confirming that the money they gave was a donation and not payment for goods or services.

The Tribunal looked at the matter in amusement.

Then ruled.

- Kamau had discharged his burden of proof in full.
- KRA had acted unreasonably by ignoring and disregarding the substantial evidence he provided.
- And most importantly: Income tax is a tax on income. It is not a tax on every deposit appearing in a bank account.

The Tribunal found that KRA was wrong to treat all bank deposits as taxable income without first removing proven non income items such as dowry contributions.

The tax demand was killed.

Kamau won.

KRA retreated to Times Tower. And rested.

Case closed.

• Lesson 2.

- Document everything.

- KRA will push. Push hard.

[Beatrice Marshall @BmarshallCGTN]

DRC has been battling repeated ebola outbreaks since 1976. Sometimes it spreads to Uganda which has experience of dealing with it. Suddenly, Kenya that has never had an Ebola case, says it has set up 23 centres, a country whose public healthcare has crumpled?

[Moe @moneyacademyKE]

Visa has warned that proposed taxes under the Finance Bill 2026 on card fees could make digital payments more expensive.

They say, for example:
— On a Sh10,000 transaction, merchants receive Sh9,800 today vs Sh9,768 if the changes pass

[House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems @HouseForeign]

Our government has a responsibility to help Americans abroad.

The US already has domestic facilities specifically designed to safely care for Ebola patients.

The Trump admin should bring Americans home and help them, not outsource that responsibility to a foreign government.

[Charles Onyango-Obbo @cobbo3]

One of the biggest complaints one hears about Africa is that good reliable data is hard to come by. I disagree; not if you know where to look and read the signs. For example if the leaders of a company go to State House to meet the President and together they announce that in October the company will begin exporting product Y worth $50 million a month and employ 3,500 people, the chance that it will happen is 12.5%. If the President visits the company and the announcement is made on the factory floor with the big man wearing a safety helmet and white lab coat, the chances that it will is 25%. If the company holds a big launch event, invites 50 social media influencers and a leading musician, plus a minister or ambassador to “flag off” the 1st consignment, the chances that it will succeed drop to 5%. If it does nothing, doesn’t invite the President or send out a press release, and only posts a photo of a chubby-cheeked smiling worker which doesn’t give away much on their social media page, put some of your money there. Their chance of success is about 65%.

[Heisenberg @DrJuma_M]

CONFIRMED:Most USA Media Outlets are Protesting the Move to have USA citizens treated in Kenya,They Feel USA has better Facilities and their Government is Abdicating its primary Duty of Protection of lives.

[Davji Bhimji Atellah @Davji]

Kenya is a sovereign republic, not a geopolitical isolation ward.

[Kenyangriot @kenyangriot]

Africa Day at 63: Why Africa’s unity is critical for our moment | Monitor https://t.co/l8o2hDCjvC

[Kenyangriot @kenyangriot]

Africa Day at 63: Why the continent’s unity is critical for our moment | Daily Nation https://t.co/sdIVHJBslS

[Sholla Ard 🇰🇪 @sholard_mancity]

There is a conversation Kenyans seriously need to have about how government institutions waste people’s time and dignity every single day.

Public hospitals are one of the biggest examples.

For example, fou arrive sick, tired, and stressed, but there is no proper guidance on where to begin, what to pay, what documents you need, or the actual process.

You register.
You pay.
You are told: “Go to Room 4.”
You go to Room 4 and after sitting there for 2 hours, you’re told:
“Your file isn’t open.”
“You need a card.”
“You were supposed to get a book first.”
So now you go back to registration and find another endless line.

And the painful part is this:
The person at registration often knew all this from the beginning but never bothered to explain it properly.

Then the cycle repeats itself again and again while sick people, pregnant women, elderly Kenyans and exhausted parents move from one line to another like a punishment.

Why can’t hospitals have a clear and humane system?
Why can’t someone at the entrance simply explain:

Here’s the process
Here’s what you’ll pay
Here’s the documents/cards needed
Here’s where to go next

Why can’t prescribed drugs be confirmed as available before patients start moving from office to office?

Kenyans are silently suffering through this confusion every day and many have normalized it because “that’s just how government offices work.”

No. It shouldn’t be normal. I have been requested to speak up on this.
Share your experience because almost every Kenyan has gone through this at some point. The more we do the more likely we are to get change.

[Arsenal @Arsenal]

Bottle this feeling 🍾