Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Inside politics of choosing next tax chief



By KENNETH KWAMA

The process to pick successor to outgoing the chief taxman Michael Waweru is muddled with politics and intense lobbying.
It is touted that the recruitment of a new Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner General could go down as the most acidic ever in the quest for a public office in recent times.
This is the reality even as it emerges that opinion is split within KRA’s top ranks on which insider to back for the job.
Commissioner of Domestic Taxes and Large Taxpayers Office John Njiraini and Customs Services Commissioner Wambui Namu have both applied for the job.
While Njiraini is said to have a head start of the two, some insiders are wary of his reform credentials if he bagged the crucial post.
"Some insiders fear that he may expose the rot within KRA and sweep everyone off," says the source who requested anonymity.
Njiraini was the public face of KRA last year as the tax authority piled pressure on MPs to pay taxes.
This has also put his candidature in focus as it emerged that a group of MPs who are still bitter with his stand over the tax impasse are planning to use a tender cancelled by KRA last October to veto his candidature.
ALTERED EQUATION
KRA has since clarified that the cancellation of the tender for printing, supply and delivery of security revenue stamps was not Njiraini’s fault, but a problem with procurement process that involved the Public Procurement Oversight Authority (PPOA).
It had widely been believed that an insider would bag the position until the surprise entry of head of Barclays East and West Africa Adan Mohammed altered the equation.
And now, it is not only Adan serving notice on the four current commissioners who have been short-listed as another contender, previously regarded as ‘peripheral’ has emerged with an equally weighty resume.
James Wahome, a macro-economist and former Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) employee, also made the shortlist. Wahome has previously worked with the African Development Bank in Tunis for over a decade.
Other contenders for the post include Helen Bila, Commissioner, Support Services, Alice Achieng’ Owuor, Commissioner of Domestic Revenue and James Njuguna.
Job Kihumba, Director at Standard Investment Bank says the race for KRA’s top seat is a tough one.
"The individuals who have been short-listed all have enviable credentials. It will be a tough choice, but whatever the outcome, the process should be transparent," says Kihumba.
TOTAL OVERHAUL
Any quest to prop a KRA insider to succeed Waweru could also be complicated by enormous public support and endorsement of recent processes to choose other public officers like the Chief Justice in which the public had opportunity to participate.
The Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) says KRA, just like the Judiciary, which settled on Willy Mutunga (an outsider from the civil society) to spearhead reforms, needs a total overhaul — a duty the consumer organisation says can be better performed by an outsider.
"While we have no problem with Waweru’s sentiments that he would prefer an internal candidate to succeed him, we would also like KRA’s board to give fair chance to outsiders," says Cofek’s Secretary-General Stephen Mutoro.
"Actually, such positions don’t just need the board, but should allow for sufficient public participation to ensure the job is given to the best candidate."
The interviews will be conducted by the KRA board of directors chaired by former Cabinet minister Marsden Madoka and the names of successful candidates forwarded to Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta for appointment.
Uhuru could avoid rejecting the candidate who comes out tops in Madoka’s list to avoid unnecessary debate.
Again, he would not want to anger women lobbyists by sidestepping the three women who made it to the shortlist," says a chief executive of a recruitment firm who requested not to be named.
But it is Adan who presents Uhuru the biggest headache. Besides his hefty resume in the private sector as head of a multinational bank, he also comes into the race with respected turnaround credentials.
"It is based on his performance as regional head of Barclays Bank that pundits are already touting him as the man to beat to the job," says a chief executive of a recruitment firm.
"The Harvard-schooled Adan is likely to be among the best three ," he says.
Njiraini, whose current term as Commissioner is set to end in the next three months, showed ambitions for a higher office when he applied for the position of Controller of Budget.
Despite being rated highest among shortlisted candidates, he was bypassed and the job given to the current holder of the office, Agnes Odhiambo who was ranked fourth.
Indeed, many believe that he is the best suited candidate for the job from within KRA’s circles, but the question still remains: Will Njiraini be second time unlucky?

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