Depression diaries: Looking for the elusive wonder drug

There are so many ways to tell this story, but my mind is a whirlpool right now so let me let the fingers do the telling. I really do not know where to start, but here goes:

I spent the last few hours or so crisscrossing Nairobi's CBD looking for this one drug. I did not know how hard it is to find until I started looking for it. Why bother? You may wonder. 

Well, the story began a few weeks ago when I noticed I was running low on this drug*. This is a drug you don’t just go off cold turkey. No. It is like cocaine or heroine. If you want to go off it, you have to plan it out over weeks; you have to be weaned off it, giving your body its fix in smaller doses until it says it can do without it now. It is like alcohol to an alcoholic. You don’t miss a day’s dose for any reason and if you do, your voice will tremble, your hands will shake, your eyes will see double, your life will turn upside down... Anyway, you get the idea. 

So last week, around Wednesday, I noticed I was running low on this drug. I had canceled my doctor’s appointment for 8th January, where I could have gotten a chit to replenish my reserves, and I had conveniently forgotten to reschedule that appointment, that is until I noticed that I actually needed to do that quick, fast and in a hurry, or a day would find me when my pill box would give me a blank stare.

 So that Wednesday, I made a mental note to call my doctor’s office to book an appointment, but then I forgot, yet again. Then on Thursday evening, I counted the remaining pills to see how long they would stretch, meaning: how long I could go without seeing my doctor – Sunday evening. I needed to book an appointment for latest Monday morning so that I could get a prescription and have a dose to take on Monday night, and I did. 

Monday morning, I dutifully went to my doctor’s and got my prescription. I wanted to talk to her about going off this drug, but she was concerned about my weight, I had lost a few grammes and she needed me to add at least six kilos in the next six weeks. Good luck with that, Miss Doctor! So we never got round to talking about going off the drug; we had a more weighty matter to discuss, and we did. I left her practice with my prescription, waited an hour at the pharmacy only for the pharmacist to tell me that he would give me drugs that were expiring in twelve days, "but not to worry," he said, “You can still take them for a month after expiry without a problem.”

Hmph! I could feel the irritation rising up my throat. I waited a full hour to buy expired drugs!? C’mon! #WasteHerTime2016. I said a resolute no and asked for the transaction to be canceled; a process that took another 30 irritating minutes (I hate waiting; especially senseless waiting. I have better things to do with my limited time than wait.)

No worries, child. You will just ask your insurer if you can pick them from an independent chemist (I consoled myself) ... – Something that I promptly forgot to do as soon as I had stomped off in a huff. I thought one night of a missed dose wouldn’t mean much, but I was so wrong. I had a restless night, woke up feeling nauseated, a feeling that stayed with me all day today. I was also tired and suffered from general body aches. I just did not feel fine. So at some point I called my insurer to ask which pharmacy I could pick the drugs from and the lady on the other end gave me a rather short list. I did some work and then headed out to the nearest pharmacy to pick up the drugs. I walked with a confident spring. Nothing could go wrong. Except it did.

“We do have the drug,” the pharmacist told me, but if insurance was paying for it, I’d have to go to their other branch affiliated with their clinic. No worries, I can do that.

 “But how much does it cost?” I asked.

 “Hold up, Missie,” he replied as he punched away on his keyboard, then: “that will be seven thousand, eight hundred and ninety-two shillings.”

 “That will deplete my insurance!” I gasped. “Can’t you give me a discount?”

 “No, Lady, we only discount cash payments. You’ll have to pay the full amount through insurance,” he replied. 

“But why, and it is still my money…” I pleaded and was met with a blank stare. 

Again, I left in a huff and went to their main clinic, where they dutifully informed me that I had to pay consultation fee to have their doctor copy what my doctor had written on my prescription into a new insurance claim form. But, but, I already have a prescription, I just need the drugs…

 “That’s the policy, madam,” the attendant said, unmoved.

 I stomped off again. 

And so I went from one chemist to another, and each time the pharmacists said they did not have my drug or its variants (generics), my energy gauge inched closer and closer to empty. Finally, I got a chemist with a version that was a third of the strength my doctor prescribed. They would sell it to me for Sh6, 000, discounted, but I needed my doctor to fill the claim form and stamp it for them to charge my card.

Oh boy! I felt frustrated. I’d have to wake up very early the next day to get my doctor to do the requisite paperwork, but I couldn’t imagine another night of withdrawal symptoms… So I walked out, stood in the midst of heavy city human traffic and decided to google.

 “Drug X Nairobi,” I searched. 

Most of the results were useless, but there was one lead. I clicked on it not expecting much. They had the drug and it would cost me Sh3000. Then my eyes fell on the date of the drug price list. It was a 2013 document. My heart sank, but I decided to call anyway. I wouldn’t know if the price had gone up unless I asked. I prayed that the company was still in operation. It was, and yes, they had the drug in stock and it was a few hundreds short of 3000 and they would only sell it if I had a prescription. 

I hang up and almost yelped for joy. Then I looked the city clock above me, it was 5.20. My instincts told me that they’d be closing at 5.30 so I began elbowing my way through the crowded pavements hoping to get there in record time. There were no boda bodas in sight and anyway I had zero shillings on me and I didn’t have time to haggle over whether I could pay via Mpesa. My legs had to save me. I quickened my pace, moving as fast as I could in a semi-sprint, lest the County askaris decide to arrest me for running in the city without a permit. 

When I got to the pharmacy’s building, I asked the guard at the door to direct me to the chemist, but he said they might already be closed. I insisted on checking and only caught the last of his words directing me to go round to the other end as I sprinted in. When I got there, the door was ajar in a way that showed they were closed – leaving only enough space for the employees to squeeze out on their way home. I asked the two women I met at the door if they would sell me my drug. They shrugged apathetically and told me to ask inside as they walked away.

The place was dark save for the last bulb shining that would be put off by the last person to leave. There was a lady picking her bags as if to leave. She called out to a man upstairs, who confirmed that there was no one else left. 

I asked her if she had the drug and if she could sell it to me. She responded in the affirmative while confirming the price on a price list on her desk and checking my prescription simultaneously. She punched a few numbers on her calculator and told me, “Two thousand seven hundred and seventy one shillings, already discounted.”

 “There’s one small thing,” I answered, making a pinch with my thumb and index finger… could you let me go to the ATM to get the cash ... can I pay by card?"

 “We’re already closed and we only take cash...”

“Could you give me a dose worth Sh1,000 ... I can send you the money via Mpesa... I just need one tablet for tonight then I can come back tomorrow when we all have time,” I blubbered my interruption.

I was panting, out of breath, I could have cried if I had breath… my eyes were pleading. I would leave my ID and debit card ... I would leave anything, even my life, for that one tablet that would make me whole again... 

My eyes followed her to a cupboard on the left of the room and my ears welcomed with sheer relief, the words that she would give me a strip of five without taking any money from me if I promised to come back the next day to pay for it, but as fate would have it, there were no scissors, so she gave me the full strip of 20, put the rest in her drawer, and told me to tell whoever I found the next day that Fresana had put my drugs in her drawer for me. I said my profuse thank-yous and left. 

Now I wanted to cry. She may not have realised it, but this total stranger had saved my life. There are so many con men and fraudsters in the city, but she chose to be kind, not knowing if I would betray her kindness. As I walked away, and when I had walked for a while, I began to feel better; even the withdrawal symptoms eased for a while before rushing back in a vengeful flood. There was a flood of emotions as I thought about the many times people had told me “Wahindi ni wale wabaya,” but that was not true: A "Mhindi" had just helped me. To hell with stereotypes! Every person is an individual and should be judged on his/her own merit, I thought to myself. 

 Now I’m trying to think of what I can send Fresana in gratitude. Of course there will be a card. I’m thinking of a pack of grapes…

PS - I eventually settled on a gift voucher.

* The drug was an anti-depressant. This happened earlier this year, around end of January, 2016.

How to file your income tax returns on iTax in ten easy steps

 When iTax was introduced a few years back, I was very clueless about it and after lots of frustrations trying to understand how to do it, I ended up filing manual income tax returns.

 Still reeling from the frustrations of the previous year, last year I paid someone to do it for me, but this year, I was determined to do it myself and to do it way earlier than June, so I got a friend to walk me through in April (thanks, Peter!) and discovered that it was a very simple process.

They say that the best way to get a lesson to stick, is to teach someone what you've been taught, and I have found this to be true these last few days while showing people how to manoeuvre the iTax system, and in the process, I have also learnt a lot.

I'm writing this post to be able to share what I have learnt and also as a point of reference for the coming years (sometimes memory fails me). This is in reference to filing income tax returns for 2015 in 2016, but it applies whichever year you need to use this guide. So without further ado, let me take you through the process of filing your income tax returns on the iTax system, with a bias on employed, unemployed/students and Kenyans who live abroad. Then I'll handle the FAQs in another blog post. Here we go:

Please note that all Kenyans over 18 are supposed to have a KRA PIN and are supposed to file returns every year, whether they have a job or not (yes, even students must file (nil) returns.) If you fail to file returns, or file them late (after the 30th June deadline), you will be fined Sh10, 000 or 25% of the tax due, whichever figure is higher.

THINGS YOU NEED

If you are currently employed, you need:

• P9 form – get this from the payroll/accounts department of the employer whom you were working for in 2015. If you had more than one employer in 2015, get the P9 forms from all the employers you were working for in 2015. If you are jobless, but you were working last year, get this from your 2015 employer.

• KRA PIN number – find it on your pay slip or ask your payroll accountant to tell you or get it from KRA by sending a scanned copy of your national ID and requesting for your PIN number. You can reach KRA through their iTax centres around the country, through Huduma Centres around the country, on Facebook or via email callcentre@kra.go.ke or telephone (020) 4999 999, 0711099 999.

• iTax website https://itax.kra.go.ke/

If you are unemployed and were still unemployed in 2015, you need:

• KRA PIN number – find it on your pay slips from your former job or get it from KRA by sending them a scanned copy of your ID and requesting for your PIN number.

• iTax website https://itax.kra.go.ke/

If you were not living/working in Kenya in 2015, you need:

• KRA PIN number – find it on your pay slips from your former job in Kenya or get it from KRA by sending them a scanned copy of your national (Kenyan) ID and requesting for your PIN number.

• iTax website https://itax.kra.go.ke/

STEP 1

Go to the iTax website https://itax.kra.go.ke/  and log in (Enter your PIN number and click continue, enter your password, do the calculation and get the correct answer and enter it in the relevant space [security stamp] then click log in). If you can’t remember your password, click on “forgot password/unlock account” and check your email for the new password. 

STEP 2

Once you log in, this is the page you will get.

If you were unemployed for the entire 2015 (January to December) click on “returns” on the red menu bar (circled in yellow) and choose the fifth option “File NIL return”. Fill in the dates: from 01/01/2015 to 31/12/2015 and the other relevant info except “wife PIN” (unless you are also filing returns for your wife), then click submit. You are done. Wait for next year to file nil returns again if you still remain unemployed the whole of 2016. If you get a job, even for a few months, you’ll need to file returns next year.

If you were not living/working in Kenya for the entire 2015, also file nil returns, just like the people who were unemployed.

If you were employed in 2015, whether for a few months or the full year, click on returns on the red menu bar (circled in yellow) and choose the first option which is “file returns”

If you have already filed 2015 returns, but you need to change something, click on returns on the red menu bar (circled in yellow) and choose the third option which is “file amended return”.

 

STEP 3

KRA has already filled the first two options for you, so just click on the drop down arrow on the third option “tax obligation” and choose the relevant choice. For most people that is the first option “Income tax – resident individual”. Click next.

Income tax – rent income option is for landlords who are paying tax on rent collected.

STEP 4

Download the Excel spreadsheet by clicking on it, it will open as a ZIP file. Double-click on the Excel spreadsheet inside the ZIP file to open it. Keep your P9 form at hand because you will need to fill the information on it on the Excel spreadsheet.

STEP 5

First things first, click on “enable content” on the yellow line at the top of the Excel sheet, so you can be able to fill in the form.

At the bottom, you’ll notice that there are six Excel sheets and the first one is the one you are on right now. It is called “basic info”. Fill in all the relevant details and scroll down to fill in the rest of the details if you have a landlord and if you have a tenant and if you are an auditor (most people don’t need/choose not to fill these landlord/tenant/auditor details). 

Please note that for every field you choose yes, a new sheet will appear at the bottom of the Excel sheet requiring you to give more details. You can only fill in the parts that are white and not the charcoal gray parts. Be sure to fill in every field marked with a red asterisk (*). When you are done with the “basic info” sheet, move on to the next sheet titled “F_Employment Income”.

 Keep your P9 form at hand because you need it to fill the remaining Excel sheets. This is how a P9 form looks. It is not usually blank, it usually has the figures you need to fill in the KRA Individual Resident Return form on Excel.

STEP 6

Keep your P9 form close. You need it to fill in the gaps on this sheet titled “F_Employment Income”. Fill in the PIN and name of your employer from your P9 form. Under “gross pay” write the figure you find at the bottom of “COLUMN D” in your P9 form. Most people don’t have allowances and benefits, net value of housing or pension in excess of 300, 000, so fill in zero (0) in those boxes and move to the next sheet titled “Details of PAYE Deducted”

If you had more than one employer in 2015, you'll have more than one P9 form (get them from the respective former employers, payroll department). Include the details from each employer in separate rows (You can add as many rows as the number of employers you had in 2015 and fill in the relevant details using the relevant P9 forms). 

  Please note that when you are filling the Excel sheets, you cannot "cut and paste" you have to fill in manually.

STEP 7

You still need to use your P9 form, so keep it close. 

Open the sheet titled “Details of PAYE deducted”. This is the third sheet on the Excel spreadsheet.

• Fill in the name of employer from your P9 form and the employer’s PIN number still from the P9 form. 

• Fill in taxable salary from the total figure you get under COLUMN H of your P9 form. 

• Fill in Taxable pay on taxable salary from the total figure you get in COLUMN J of the P9 form.

• Fill in amount of tax deducted (PAYE) from the total figure you get on COLUMN L of the P9 form. 

Remember to include details for all employers in additional rows if you had more than one employer in 2015.

Skip the next two sheets i.e. Skip “Advance tax credits” and “IT payments credits” and go to the last sheet titled “Tax computation”.

NB: You only need to fill “Advance tax credits” if you have a commercial vehicle and you only need to fill “IT payments credits” if you paid tax in advance, which most people don’t do. 

STEP 8

Still use your P9 form. 

Open the last sheet titled “Tax computation”. 

You only need to fill two spaces: “defined/pension contribution” and “personal relief”. 

• For defined/pension contribution, fill in the figure you find under COLUMN e2 on your P9 form. 

• For personal relief, for most people it is 13, 944 (which is 1162 multiplied by 12 months), so fill in 13, 944.

• If you worked for less than 12 months in 2015, take the figure you find under “personal relief” COLUMN K on the P9 form and multiply it by the number of months you worked i.e 1162 multiplied by the number of months worked, then fill in the answer you get under “personal relief” on the Excel sheet.

Once you are done filling in the two fields, scroll down and click “validate”.

If there are errors, you will get an alert. At the bottom of the Excel sheet on your extreme left, click on the red tab with the title “errors”. It will show you the errors, click on each and give the correct information, then when you are done fixing all the errors, go back to the last sheet titled “tax computation” and click “validate” again. You will get a message asking you if you want to generate a document. Click “yes”. The document (ZIP file) generates automatically and is saved on your computer under My Documents.

 

STEP 9

To finish, go back to the iTax website and log in again https://itax.kra.go.ke/, click “returns” >> file return >> fill the required info. The required info is: Type of return, return period 01/01/2015 to 31/12/2015, and then click on browse >> My Documents >> select the ZIP file you see ending in _ITR. Click open to upload onto the iTax system. Agree to the terms and conditions, then scroll down and click “submit”

 

STEP 10

Check your email for a notification from KRA, it is sent almost immediately. If the figure in the attached acknowledgment receipt is negative, KRA owes you (they'll pay you when they feel like, like after five years. They'll deposit the cash directly into your bank account, which you already filled in their form). If the figure is positive, you owe KRA. Pay them without delay.

Congratulations! You are done! Let’s do this again next year.

Remember you can file your returns for 2016 as early as January 2017, you don't have to wait till June (the last minute!)

NB: IF YOU REALISE YOU MADE A MISTAKE AFTER YOU HAVE ALREADY FILED YOUR RETURNS, YOU CAN AMEND/MAKE CHANGES/EDIT  >>>:

If after you finish filing your returns, you realise you made a mistake, worry not, you can change it, but do so before the 30^th June deadline. 

To amend your return, repeat the same process, log in to iTax >> click on “returns” >> then “file amended return”.

 Select the tax obligation “Income tax – Resident individual”. 

On the next page that opens, select return period “from 01/01/2015 to 31/01/2015”.

On “type of form to download” select “Excel” then click on download. You will be asked if you want to download the form for amendment, say OK. The Excel file you had filled in will download. Double click on it to open it. 

Click on “enable content” on the yellow line you see at the top. Then click on “amendment” at the bottom left of the page. You’ll get the Excel sheets with all the information you had already filled in; all you need to do is to change whatever you are changing, then go to the last sheet titled “Tax Computation” and click “validate”.

If there are errors, fix them and click “validate” again. Once you validate, you will be asked if you want to download a document (just like in STEP 8), say yes/OK and the document will automatically save in your computer on My Documents. 

Go back to the open amendment page on iTax and click on browse >> My Documents >> and select the new ZIP file (check on the time stamp on the right of the ZIP file to make sure it is the latest i.e. the amended form). Click “open” to upload, then click “submit”. You’re done amending.

 And that's it! You're done amending.