The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has initiated the creation of its first Kenya Sign Language (KSL) glossary focused on tax, customs, and tax-system terminology. This effort aims to enhance accessibility and understanding of tax information among deaf Kenyans.
The project is a collaboration involving KRA, organisations representing persons with disabilities, legal experts, and KSL interpreters. It is conducted in partnership with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, Kenya Sign Language Interpreters Association, Kenya National Association of the Deaf, and the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.
By the end of the development process, 284 tax-related terms will have standardized KSL signs. These terms span three key areas of KRA’s work:
- 115 Customs terms
- 75 terms related to Business, Service Tax, Excise, and Miscellaneous (BSTEM)
- 94 Domestic Taxes terms
The glossary aims to address challenges in conveying complex tax and customs vocabulary through existing sign language, reducing misunderstandings and providing a consistent reference for interpreters, educators, and deaf taxpayers.
This initiative complements KRA’s ongoing digital reforms, including the recently launched Advance Cargo Declaration (ACD) platform, which requires pre-arrival digital submission of container cargo data to expedite clearance and enhance customs oversight.
Through the KSL glossary, KRA seeks to improve tax literacy and ensure that deaf Kenyans receive accurate and clear information about their tax obligations and customs processes.
