NAIROBI, Kenya, October 16, 2026 — The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has moved to recover KSh623.39 million in alleged outstanding tax arrears from former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, targeting funds held on his behalf by First Community Bank.
According to reports published on Friday, October 16, the tax authority issued an agency notice dated October 12, 2026, directing the bank to remit money it holds for Sonko, or owes him, towards the outstanding tax claim.
The notice reportedly puts the amount at KSh623,389,105, comprising KSh308,916,928 in principal tax, KSh15,756,912 in penalties and KSh298,715,265 in accumulated interest.
The claim relates to individual income tax covering the period between January 2015 and December 2019, according to the published accounts.
Interest accounts for nearly half of the total amount being sought, adding approximately KSh298.7 million to the principal tax and penalties.
KRA is reported to have invoked Section 42 of the Tax Procedures Act, 2015, which provides a legal mechanism for recovering unpaid taxes through a third party holding money for a taxpayer or owing money to them.
Under the reported directive, First Community Bank is required to disclose relevant funds and comply with the recovery instructions. The notice also warns that failure to comply without reasonable cause could expose the appointed agent to personal liability for the specified amount.
The bank’s appointment does not, however, establish that the full sum is available in Sonko’s accounts or that any money has already been transferred to KRA.
The latest development places the former governor under renewed scrutiny over his tax obligations, although the published notice alone does not establish whether he disputes the assessment or has initiated legal proceedings against this particular recovery action.
By the time of publication, no response from Sonko to the specific notice had been established from the reports reviewed.
The amount sought, therefore, remains a reported tax claim whose underlying assessment, recovery status, and any subsequent legal challenges require further verification.