New System That Will Delay Civil Servants’ Salaries This Month

Civil servants in Kenya risk having their September 2025 salaries delayed if their respective ministries, departments, agencies, or county governments fail to submit accurate and complete staff data to the new Human Resource Information System (HRIS) by the end of the month.

(HRIS) is a new digital platform introduced by the Government of Kenya to manage and streamline civil service human resource and payroll records.

What Is an HRIS System

HRIS is designed to consolidate all civil servants’ personal and employment details, including national ID, job group, cadre, and duty station, into a single, centralized database.

HRIS is a software solution that helps organizations manage core HR functions, including employee data management, payroll and benefits administration, recruitment and onboarding, time and attendance tracking, as well as compliance and reporting.

By doing so, the government aims to:

• Eliminate ghost workers who exploit payroll loopholes.
• Enhance transparency in salary processing and public sector staffing.
• Reduce duplication and errors in allowances, deductions, and other payments.
• Link payroll to verified staffing lists, ensuring only legitimate employees are paid.

HRIS is a significant advantage as it consolidates various HR processes into a centralized platform, enhancing efficiency, minimizing manual work, and facilitating data-driven decision-making.

The government officially rolled out the unified HRIS system for the entire public sector on July 1, 2024.

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Late submissions will be blocked by the HRIS and IFMIS systems, and HR directors will be held personally accountable for any such instances.

Top HRIS Systems Globally (2025 Rankings)

According to Forbes Advisor, the top HRIS systems include:

Main reasons for Kenya’s shift

Before the Kenyan government adopted the Human Resource Information System (HRIS), specifically the Government Human Resource Information System (GHRIS), it faced several persistent challenges in managing public sector human resources.

A 2022/2023 audit revealed over 19,000 ghost workers on the government payroll, which drains public funds and inflates the wage bill.

Ministries and departments had unauthorized staff in excess of approved levels, with some agencies, such as KEMSA, showing 115% overstaffing.

This led to underutilization, strained facilities, and corruption in payroll management as recruitment, leave management, promotions, and payroll were handled manually across departments.

HR officers relied on physical files and paperwork, making it difficult to track employee records and performance, which caused delays, errors, and inefficiencies in service delivery.

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Employee records were scattered across ministries and counties, making it difficult to verify staff credentials or monitor transfers, and there was no unified system to track employment history, training, or pension eligibility.

Public service institutions lacked a harmonized framework for HR operations, leading to overlaps in roles, poor monitoring of reforms, and inconsistent implementation of HR policies.

Many HR departments lacked the necessary ICT infrastructure and skills to digitize their operations, while some resisted change, and limited funding hindered modernization efforts.

Up to 70% of government budgets were allocated to recurrent expenditures, such as salaries, leaving little for development.

Without accurate staffing data, budgeting and workforce planning were ineffective.

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