Humphrey Mulongo named new KRA boss

By Peter Ochieng 

There is as new sheriff in town.

Humphrey Mulongo Wattanga is the new Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Commissioner General.

His appointment was confirmed by Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Treasury professor Njuguna Ndung'u through a gazette notice dated 22nd August, 2023.

He will serve for three years.

"The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning appoints Humphrey Wattanga Mulongo to be the Commissioner General of Kenya Revenue Authority for a period of three years, with effect from August 22, 2023," the notice reads.

Wattanga, former vice chairperson of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) takes over from Risper Simiyu.

Risper has been serving as CRA Commissioner General albeit on an acting capacity, since February 2023, following the resignation of Githii Mburu.

Mburu left before end of his term in office, which was supposed to run until June 2024.

KRA board wished him well, at the time of his resignation.

"The board appreciates Mr Mburu for the service he has rendered to KRA and the Republic of Kenya and wishes him very well in his future endeavours."

And now back to Wattanga. He holds a Masters Degree in Business Administration from the Wharton School of Finance and a Bachelor’s Degree in Biochemistry from Harvard University, US.

He is an alumni of Alliance High School. 

The new chief taxman was working as the managing director of Meghraj Capital Limited, the investment banking advisory arm of the Meghraj Group which deals with among other issues, advising clients on mergers and acquisitions and partnerships, before the landing KRA's top job.

Mulongo previously served a senior partner of Afcorp Investments based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

He is also a director at Nordic Impact Fund (NIF), in Copenhagen, Denmark, a position he has held since 2016.

Additionally, he is an investment committee member of the Kenya Climate Ventures (KCV) Limited, Nairobi since 2019 and Platinum member of the Kenya Institute of Bankers.