Nairobi, May 13 -- The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) could gain sweeping powers to freeze a taxpayer's bank accounts or assets even where the disputed tax assessment is under appeal, should Parliament approve the Finance Bill 2026 in its current form.

The Finance Bill 2026, which Treasury has tabled before the National Assembly, seeks to amend the Tax Procedures Act by deleting a clause that currently shields taxpayers involved in disputes with the KRA from being issued with agency notices once they have formally appealed the taxman's decision.

An agency notice is a directive issued by the taxman under Section 42 of the Tax Procedures Act, compelling a third party, such as a bank or employer, to recover unpaid taxes from a defaulter's a...