KRA’s Rispah Simiyu Seconded to National Treasury in Surprise Move

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has seconded its Commissioner for Large and Medium Taxpayers, Rispah Simiyu, to the National Treasury. The transfer comes just weeks before the expiry of her five-year term and took effect immediately, signaling a major shift in the authority’s top leadership.

Following her redeployment, Doreen Mbingi, the Deputy Commissioner for Compliance for East and South of Nairobi, will now take charge of KRA’s Large and Medium Taxpayers department in an acting capacity. This department is one of KRA’s most critical units, overseeing compliance from the country’s largest tax contributors.

Ms. Simiyu’s secondment comes shortly after she publicly disclosed that she would not be renewing her contract. Her position was formally advertised on September 2, underscoring preparations for a leadership transition within the authority. The move draws comparisons with a similar secondment in 2023 involving then-Customs Commissioner Lilian Nyawanda, although Simiyu’s case is unique as it takes place at the very end of her tenure.

The management changes also coincide with the confirmation of Nancy Ng’etich as Commissioner for the Shared Services Department. She becomes the first of four acting commissioners to be confirmed under KRA’s current leadership, which has been making adjustments in key departments.

Ms. Ng’etich, an advocate and former senior manager at Ernst & Young LLP, has played a notable role in customs reforms and trade facilitation. Her appointment marks a strengthening of the Shared Services Department, which underpins KRA’s operational and administrative functions.

KRA Commissioner-General Humphrey Wattanga explained that the appointments are part of a wider effort to build institutional capacity within the tax agency. He emphasized that the changes align with his strategic agenda of simplification, technology adoption, and fostering “voluntary or cooperative compliance” to improve revenue collection.

With Simiyu’s departure, Mbingi’s temporary leadership, and Ng’etich’s substantive appointment, KRA enters a new phase of leadership renewal. These changes highlight the authority’s effort to maintain continuity while aligning its management structure with its broader reform and modernization strategy