KRA appoints George Obell as new commissioner

The board of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has appointed tax expert George Obell as the Commissioner for the Micro and Small Taxpayers Department (MST), a new unit which was created in March this year.

Obell has led the department since its inception, albeit in an acting capacity, with his new appointment effective from November 10.

While announcing the decision of the agency’s board and management, KRA Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga Mulongo cited Obell’s experience amassed over close to three decades of service.

“With over 28 years of experience in tax administration, he brings extensive strategic and technical expertise to the role,” Mulongo said.

He added: “Before this appointment, Mr. Obell served as Deputy Commissioner for the Medium Taxpayers Office (MTO) and as Deputy Commissioner for the East and South of Nairobi (E&SoN) Tax Service Office.”

Before his elevation, Obell was reportedly at the forefront of KRA’s efforts to digitalise some of its services, including the introduction of the Electronic Tax Invoice Management System (eTIMS) used to invoice taxpayers.

The new role, however, will keep him close to small businesses in an attempt to ensure compliance with tax obligations.

“Mr. Obell currently chairs the African Tax Administration Forum (ATAF) VAT Technical Committee. His expertise spans various areas of tax policy and administration, including digital taxation, transfer pricing, Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), tax audits, and Exchange of Information (EOI),” said Mulongo.

The new commissioner is a past recipient of the presidential Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS) award and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Nairobi after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the United States International University (USIU)-Africa.

He is also a lawyer and a certified public accountant.