Updated 12 November 2026
The KRA commissioner general is Adan Abdulla Mohamed, who took charge of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) on 18 May 2026. The commissioner general is KRA’s chief executive, the person answerable for collecting most of the taxes that fund the national budget. This guide explains who holds the office, how the KRA commissioner general is appointed, what the role covers, and who sits on the KRA board and management team today.
Updated 12 November 2026. Sources: the KRA leadership page, the Kenya Gazette notice of 18 May 2026 and KRA’s own announcement of the appointment. Names and titles are as listed by KRA on 12 November 2026.
On this page
In this guide
Who is the KRA commissioner general?
Mr Adan Mohamed, EGH, is listed on KRA’s leadership page as Commissioner General. The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, John Mbadi, appointed him through a Kenya Gazette notice dated 18 May 2026. The notice reads: “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 (1) of the Kenya Revenue Authority Act, the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury appoints Adan Abdulla Mohamed to be the Commissioner General of Kenya Revenue Authority, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 18th May, 2026.”
KRA’s own announcement said its Board appointed him and described more than 30 years of leadership across banking, consulting and public service. He is a former chief executive of Barclays Bank of Kenya and a former Cabinet Secretary for Industrialisation, and before the KRA job he worked in the Executive Office of the President. He succeeded Humphrey Wattanga. On the three-year term in the notice, his current term runs to May 2029 unless it is renewed or ended earlier.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Office holder | Adan Abdulla Mohamed, EGH |
| Appointed by | Cabinet Secretary, National Treasury |
| Legal basis | Section 11(1), Kenya Revenue Authority Act |
| Start date | 18 May 2026 |
| Term | 3 years |
| Office | Times Tower, Haile Selassie Avenue, Nairobi |
How the KRA commissioner general is appointed
KRA’s leadership page sets out the split of powers in one line: the Board, made up of public and private sector experts, makes policy decisions that management implements; the Chairman of the Board is appointed by the President; and the chief executive, the Commissioner General, is appointed by the Minister for Finance, which today means the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury.
In practice the process has three steps. The KRA Board recruits and interviews candidates; the Board forwards its choice; and the Cabinet Secretary makes the appointment by Gazette notice under section 11(1) of the KRA Act, stating the term. The new commissioner general then takes the oath of office. The 2026 appointment followed that route, with the Gazette notice and KRA’s announcement published within a day of each other.
When the office is vacant, a senior commissioner acts. KRA’s site still carries a photo file labelled “Ag-CG” for Dr Lilian Nyawanda, the Commissioner for Customs and Border Control, who held the acting role before the May 2026 appointment.
What the KRA commissioner general does
As chief executive, the KRA commissioner general runs the Authority day to day and carries out the Board’s policy. For taxpayers, that covers:
- Revenue targets: KRA collects taxes and duties on behalf of the national government against targets set with the National Treasury. Misses and beats are reported by the Authority each quarter, as in our report on KRA’s first-quarter revenue result.
- Systems: iTax, eTIMS electronic invoicing and the customs systems are run by departments under the commissioner general.
- Compliance and enforcement: audits, investigations, agency notices and penalties are handled by the commissioners for each taxpayer segment and the Investigations and Enforcement department.
- Customs and borders: import duty, excise and border controls fall under the Customs and Border Control department.
- Taxpayer relief: amnesty, payment plans and Alternative Dispute Resolution are KRA programmes that management runs within the law.
The commissioner general does not set tax rates. Rates are set by Parliament through finance laws proposed by the National Treasury. KRA applies them.
The KRA board in 2026
KRA’s leadership page listed these Board members on 12 November 2026:
| Name | Role on the KRA Board |
|---|---|
| Hon. Ndiritu Muriithi | Board Chairperson |
| Mr Hadi Sheikh Abdullahi | Independent Director |
| Mr Richard Boro Ndung’u | Independent Director |
| Ms Lydia Cherono Rono | Independent Director |
| Hon. Dorcas Oduor, SC | Attorney General |
| Mr Lawrence Kibet | Alternate Director to the PS, The National Treasury |
| FCPA, CS Risper Olick | Independent Director |
| Mr Shimaka Leonard | Independent Director |
| Mr Adan Mohamed, EGH | Commissioner General |
The 9 commissioners who report to the KRA commissioner general
These are the heads of department KRA lists under the commissioner general, with two deputy commissioners who lead support units.
| Name | Department |
|---|---|
| Dr Lilian Nyawanda | Commissioner, Customs and Border Control |
| Mr George Obell, MBS | Commissioner, Micro and Small Taxpayers |
| Mr Weldon Ng’eno | Commissioner, Large and Medium Taxpayers |
| CS Nancy Ng’etich, MBS | Commissioner, Shared Services |
| Mr Paul Matuku, EBS | Commissioner, Legal and Board Services |
| Mr Alex Mwangi | Commissioner, Tax Research and Analysis Unit |
| Dr Mugambi Mwirigi | Commissioner, Kenya School of Revenue Administration (KESRA) |
| Mr Mohamed M’maka, ndc (K) | Commissioner, Investigations and Enforcement |
| Mr Wycliffe Munyalo | Deputy Commissioner, Internal Audit |
| Mr Benson Kiruja | Deputy Commissioner, Supply Chain Management |
For a small business or salaried worker, the most relevant names are usually the Micro and Small Taxpayers commissioner (turnover tax, small business compliance) and the Customs commissioner (imports and parcels). Large companies deal with the Large and Medium Taxpayers department.
How to reach KRA leadership
KRA does not publish a direct line for the KRA commissioner general. Formal letters go to the Commissioner General, Kenya Revenue Authority, Times Tower Building, Haile Selassie Avenue, P.O. Box 48240-00100, Nairobi, the address on KRA’s leadership page. For a tax problem, start with the contact centre and your tax service office, which can escalate; see the KRA contact centre guide and the list of KRA offices and service centres. Disputes over an assessment have their own route through objections, the Tax Appeals Tribunal or KRA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution.
For other people at the top of Kenya’s financial system, read our profiles of the CBK governor and the NSE chief executive.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the current KRA commissioner general?
Adan Abdulla Mohamed, EGH. He was appointed by Gazette notice for three years from 18 May 2026 and is listed as Commissioner General on KRA’s leadership page.
Who appoints the KRA commissioner general?
The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, under section 11(1) of the Kenya Revenue Authority Act. The KRA Board runs the recruitment and forwards its choice.
How long is the KRA commissioner general’s term?
The May 2026 Gazette notice set a term of three years from 18 May 2026.
Who is the chairperson of the KRA board?
Hon. Ndiritu Muriithi is listed as Board Chairperson on KRA’s leadership page. KRA says the Board chair is appointed by the President.
Does the KRA commissioner general set tax rates?
No. Parliament sets tax rates through finance laws. The commissioner general leads KRA, which assesses and collects the taxes those laws impose.
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