KPMG Poaches Deloitte Tax Team in Kenya Amid Strategic Disagreements

A major talent raid has hit Deloitte East Africa, with at least four senior tax executives leaving to join KPMG East Africa. Reports indicate that up to 11 employees in Deloitte's tax practice have exited in one of the most significant talent raids in Kenya's accounting industry. The exits followed strategic clashes between Deloitte's Kenyan partners and its South Africa-based leadership.

The appointments mark a significant revamp of KPMG's tax practice, which is already a strong player in audit services. The new hires bring extensive regional experience across international tax, transfer pricing, tax disputes, customs, and indirect taxation. KPMG said the appointments were to take effect on November 11, 2026, and would strengthen the firm's capacity to support complex client engagements.

Among the senior executives who left Deloitte to join KPMG is Fred Omondi, who was Deloitte's Tax and Legal Partner. He has joined KPMG as a partner and is expected to lead the firm's tax practice in the region. Omondi honed his tax expertise at the Kenya Revenue Authority, where he worked in the Large Taxpayers' Office before moving to Deloitte.

Another senior executive who joined KPMG is Fredrick Kimotho, an Associate Director at Deloitte, who has been promoted to Partner at KPMG. Kimotho has over 12 years of experience in tax advisory, tax policy, and tax dispute resolution. He has worked extensively with the Kenya Revenue Authority, the National Treasury, and the National Assembly on tax policy and legislative reviews.

Kennedy Okoyo, who worked as a senior tax manager at Deloitte, has moved to KPMG as an associate director. He has over 12 years of experience in indirect taxation, covering VAT, excise duty, customs, and other transactional charges and levies. Okoyo has also worked with the World Bank Group in Washington, DC, on the Paying Taxes indicator of its Ease of Doing Business project.

The fourth senior executive to join KPMG from Deloitte is Patrick Chege, who has 25 years of experience working at the Kenya Revenue Authority. Chege helped establish the transfer pricing audit sector, now the International Tax Office, and led the unit for 10 years. He has participated in tax treaty negotiations and represented Kenya in international discussions on base erosion and profit shifting.

The exodus comes amid reports of a fallout between Deloitte's Kenyan partners and the South Africa-based Deloitte Africa leadership, with local executives unhappy with what they view as excessive interference in the management of the Kenyan practice. Deloitte East Africa Chief Executive Anne Muraya had not responded to questions seeking comment on the reasons behind the staff exits.

Key points

• KPMG East Africa has hired several senior tax executives from Deloitte East Africa, including Fred Omondi, Fredrick Kimotho, Kennedy Okoyo, and Patrick Chege.
• The talent raid is linked to strategic disagreements between Deloitte's Kenyan partners and its South Africa-based leadership.
• The appointments strengthen KPMG's tax practice in the region, with the new hires bringing extensive experience in international tax, transfer pricing, and tax disputes.