Mary Wambui Mungai

Ports and Borders ‘Sealed’

The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is hunting for ‘billionaire’ businesswoman and Jubliee campaign financier Mary Wambui Mungai, for alleged tax evasion.

KRA has reportedly moved to seal border points and the JKIA airport in an effort to block the businesswoman from leaving the country. The move comes after Ms Mungai failed to honour summons by the taxman.

Sh2.5 Billion in Unpaid Taxes

The taxman summoned Ms Mungai over Sh2.5 billion unpaid taxes from government contracts in Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa) and Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) among others.

According to KRA, Ms Mungai and her two daughters earned billions of shillings between 2014 and 2019 through their company Purma Holdings Ltd.

She was to appear before KRA bosses on June 25 and June 28 but failed, prompting the taxman to pursue her for arrest.

“The commissioner has reason to believe that you, Mary Wambui Mungai, are culpable, connected to or have information that will assist us in our investigations into the identified offenses,” says the letter sent to the businesswoman on June 23.

Mary Mungai, is a member of the Friends of Jubilee Foundation lobby which raised millions of shillings for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election campaign in 2017 in just two hours.

KEMSA Tenders

Ms Mungai has also been listed among persons who supplied Kemsa KN95 face masks and surgical face masks for a tender worth Sh30.5 million. She also supplied personal protective equipment (PPE) kits worth Sh90 million. Both awards were made through direct procurement in June last year.

The government has been cracking down wealthy tax evaders in an effort to increase national revenues.