NAIROBI, Kenya – Gospel singer-turned-politician Reuben Kigame has come under scrutiny by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) days after initiating a private prosecution of top government officials.
On Thursday, July 31, 2025, Kigame, who has announced his 2027 presidential bid, moved to court seeking the prosecution of Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja.
Kigame’s petition also names the Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss, Mohamed Amin, and the National Intelligence Service Director General, Noordin Haji.
The petition stems from alleged extrajudicial killings and severe human rights violations committed against young Kenyans in the wake of anti-government protests in 2024 and 2025.
What a KRA official informed Reuben Kigame
In a statement shared on his official X account (formerly Twitter), Kigame indicated that he had received communication from KRA over unpaid taxes.
“Coincidence or fighting back my petition? Yesterday, I received an email from a KRA official I will abbreviate as Ms DW, alleging I owe the government taxes worth Sh20 million. I make less than 200k in a good month,” Kigame posted.
Despite being a person with disability (PWD), entitled to tax exemption, Kigame, who doubles as a rights activist, further revealed that he voluntarily pays his taxes.
“I am a self-employed citizen owed by this same government. More later; I will not be intimidated,” he added.
In his petition, Kigame took a stab at the security chiefs for what he termed overseeing a campaign of “crimes against humanity” that resulted in the deaths of over 100 peaceful protesters and bystanders.
How Reuben Kigame plans to escalate the matter
The singer, who revealed his intention to escalate the matter to the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC), further claimed several other individuals were abducted and tortured by state agents, while others were later found murdered.
“I intend to push this matter to the International Criminal Court (ICC), so help me God,” Kigame said at the Milimani Law Courts while in the company of his lawyer Gitobu Imanyara and his close ally Alamin Kimathi.
The petition, filed at the High Court, seeks to obtain permission to prosecute the officials if state agencies fail to take action over the reported atrocities against Kenyan citizens.
Kigame insists that he is acting on behalf of the victims and their families, maintaining that the petition is the first step toward holding the leaders accountable for the brutality meted out on unarmed civilians.
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