Adan Abdulla Mohamed, the newly sworn-in Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), is one of Kenya’s most experienced corporate executives and public servants, bringing decades of expertise in banking, economic policy and government administration to the country’s top tax collection agency.
Mohamed officially assumed office on May 20, 2026, after being appointed by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi through a gazette notice issued on May 18. He replaces Humphrey Wattanga and is expected to serve a three-year term at a time when the government is seeking to boost revenue collection and stabilise the economy.
His appointment places a seasoned technocrat at the centre of Kenya’s fiscal management amid mounting pressure to widen the tax base, improve compliance and address growing public debt concerns.
Humble Beginnings in Mandera
Born on December 1, 1963, in Kotulo village in El Wak, Mandera County, Mohamed grew up in northern Kenya as the son of a local chief. He attended Mandera Primary School before joining Kangaru High School in Embu for his secondary education.
His academic journey later took him to the University of Nairobi, where he graduated in 1989 with a First Class Honours degree in Commerce, specialising in accounting.
Mohamed later pursued a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the prestigious Harvard Business School in the United States, graduating in 1998.
Rise in International Banking
Before entering government, Mohamed built a strong reputation in the corporate and banking sector over a career spanning nearly three decades.
He began his professional career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in London, where he trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He later worked as a commercial consultant for Shell Nigeria before joining Barclays Bank.
At Barclays, Mohamed rose through the ranks to become Managing Director of Barclays Kenya, a role he held for more than 10 years. He was later promoted to Managing Director for Barclays East and West Africa before becoming Chief Administrative Officer for Barclays Africa, overseeing operations across 10 African countries.
His influence in the financial sector also saw him serve as Chairman of the Kenya Bankers Association and Council Chairman of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT).
Transition Into Government
Mohamed entered public service in 2013 after being appointed Cabinet Secretary for Industrialisation and Enterprise Development by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
During his tenure, he spearheaded reforms aimed at improving Kenya’s ease of doing business and industrial growth. He later served as Cabinet Secretary for East African Community and Regional Development and briefly held the Agriculture docket in an acting capacity.
Following the 2022 General Election, Mohamed joined President William Ruto’s administration, first serving on the President’s Council of Economic Advisors before being appointed Chief of Strategy Execution at State House.
New Challenge at KRA
As the new KRA Commissioner General, Mohamed now faces the challenge of improving domestic revenue collection while balancing concerns over the high cost of living and growing public dissatisfaction with taxation.
He is expected to oversee digital tax reforms, strengthen compliance systems, seal revenue leakages and modernise tax administration.
Analysts say his extensive experience in banking, trade and government positions him as one of the most experienced figures ever to lead the tax authority.
