By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
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Kenya, 15 May 2026 - The Office of the Attorney General has granted a 60-day grace period to all registered societies that have failed to file their annual returns with the Registrar of Societies.
The move is aimed at ensuring compliance with the Societies Act (Cap 108), which requires all registered societies to submit annual returns, accounts, and other prescribed documents to the Registrar.
Rule 13 of the Societies Rules, 1968 requires societies to submit their annual returns on or before March 31 each year in respect of the immediately preceding calendar year.
In a statement on Friday, the OAG said that societies that fail to comply within this period will be liable to enforcement action, which includes a notice to show cause, as well as the cancellation or suspension of registration.
“The office of the Registrar of Societies is established under the Societies Act (Cap 108), Laws of Kenya, and is mandated to register and regulate registered societies under the said Act,” the notice read.
“The Registrar of Societies wishes to notify all registered societies of their obligation to file annual returns in accordance with the law,” it added.
Registered societies are organized groups, associations, or clubs that are officially recognized and registered under Kenya’s Societies Act.
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They include organisations such as welfare groups, professional associations, religious organisations, charities, political groups, youth groups, and community-based organisations formed for a common purpose.
The announcement comes at a time when the Kenya Revenue Authority is ramping up efforts to ensure that Kenyans file their returns on time.
Earlier this week, the authority introduced a new WhatsApp-based filing option powered by an AI chatbot known as Shuru, which allows salaried individuals to submit their employment income tax returns in just a few steps.
KRA said the tool is designed to simplify the filing process, noting that taxpayers can now complete their IT1 returns in just a few simple steps, straight from their phone, without downloading anything extra.
The chatbot operates through a dedicated number, guiding users from initiation to submission within the familiar WhatsApp interface.
This marks a significant shift from traditional filing methods that rely heavily on the iTax portal, which many users have previously found cumbersome, especially during peak filing periods.