KRA Announces Major Leadership Transition as Humphrey Wattanga Exits
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has officially announced a major leadership change following the departure of Commissioner General Humphrey Wattanga, bringing to a close his time leading the country’s tax collection agency.
In a statement released on April 8, 2026, the KRA Board confirmed that Wattanga’s contract would not be renewed after the end of his current term. This decision now paves the way for a transition at one of Kenya’s most important public institutions.
According to the Board, Wattanga leaves office after playing a key role in steering the authority through major restructuring and reform programmes aimed at improving service delivery and strengthening tax administration.
“The KRA Board announces a leadership transition as Mr Humphrey Wattanga concludes his service as Commissioner General.
We appreciate his leadership and the important role he played in our restructuring reforms. We thank him for his dedicated service to the Authority and to the nation,” part of the statement said.
With immediate effect, Dr. Lilian Nyawanda has been appointed to take over as the Acting Commissioner General as the Board begins the process of recruiting a substantive holder for the position.
Dr. Nyawanda currently serves as the Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, a department that plays a crucial role in trade facilitation, border management, and revenue protection.
Her appointment is expected to ensure smooth continuity in leadership and avoid any disruption in the Authority’s daily operations.
The Board noted that the move is meant to maintain stability within the institution during the transition period.
“In the interim, the Board has appointed Dr. Lilian Nyawanda as the Acting Commissioner General. Dr. Nyawanda currently serves as the Commissioner of Customs and Border Control.
We remain committed as KRA continues to focus on effective and efficient service delivery for all Kenyans,” the statement further read.
Wattanga was first appointed as Commissioner General in August 2023 after emerging successful in a competitive recruitment process. He signed a three-year contract, which now comes to an end in 2026.
As his term expired, the Authority chose not to extend his stay, instead opting for a leadership shake-up that places Nyawanda in charge temporarily as the search for a new Commissioner General begins.
During his tenure, Wattanga oversaw several key reforms that were aimed at modernising KRA’s systems, improving compliance levels, and making tax processes more efficient for individuals and businesses across the country.
His leadership period was largely marked by efforts to streamline operations and enhance institutional performance.
Before joining KRA as Commissioner General, Wattanga had also served the country in another senior public role as the Vice Chairperson of the Commission on Revenue Allocation, where he worked for six years.
His experience in public finance and revenue matters was seen as one of the strengths he brought into the tax authority.
Nyawanda’s appointment is being viewed as a strategic move by the Board to preserve leadership continuity at a time when KRA remains under pressure to meet revenue targets and implement ongoing reforms.
As Acting Commissioner General, she will now be responsible for overseeing all core functions of the Authority, including tax collection, customs management, enforcement, policy implementation, and the continuation of ongoing institutional reforms until a substantive office holder is appointed.
The transition also comes at a time when KRA has been making several other internal leadership changes aimed at strengthening its capacity and improving efficiency across departments.
In September 2025, Nancy Ng’etich was appointed as the Commissioner for the Shared Services Department, while Doreen Mbingi was named Acting Commissioner for the Large and Medium Taxpayers Department.
These changes reflect the Authority’s broader efforts to reinforce its leadership structure, improve coordination across departments, and position itself better to meet the country’s growing revenue demands.
Overall, the latest leadership shift signals KRA’s intention to maintain operational stability while preparing for what is expected to be a highly competitive and closely watched recruitment process for the next substantive Commissioner General.
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