Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has revealed widespread irregularities in the government’s payroll system following an internal audit that uncovered unborn children and minors listed as public servants in a scandal estimated to have cost taxpayers KSh6.2 billion.
Speaking on the findings of the payroll review audit, Ruku said the exercise uncovered numerous anomalies, including employees whose records showed they had been hired before they were born and others employed before attaining the age of 18.
“There were also issues of employees or civil servants who are employed before they were born. There are also cases of employees or civil servants who are employed before the age of 18,” Ruku said.
Ruku Exposes Multiple Salaries, Shared Bank Accounts on State Payroll
The review also uncovered cases of civil servants receiving multiple salaries deposited into a single account, employees sharing bank accounts, and salary payments made to individuals without valid bank account details.
“There are those employees who are sharing bank accounts. They are employees with no bank account, but money has been paid,” he added.
The audit also found that payroll manipulation was deeply entrenched across several government institutions, with forged records allowing beneficiaries to remain on the payroll while siphoning billions from taxpayers.
The review uncovered irregular payments in the National Police Service (NPS), with KSh313.6 million channeled into a single personal bank account in a single financial year.
According to the audit, the beneficiaries could not be identified immediately.
The review also flagged KSh20 million in salary payments made to employees whose records lacked valid bank account details.
“How can we have employees in the public more so in the National Police with no bank account and are getting paid? So we need to know… what is it?” Ruku posed.
Also Read: Ruku Exposes Loopholes Used by Officers to Defraud the Govt in KSh 6B Payroll Heist
Immigration Department Flagged Over Payroll Irregularities
The Department of Immigration also emerged as one of the institutions with major payroll irregularities. Officials found Ksh31.5 million in salary arrears accumulated over more than six months, with no adequate supporting documents.
Investigators also identified duplicate salary payments and cases where employees were paid for periods they had not worked.
“Employees paid arrears accumulating beyond six months. Why would the government be accumulating arrears for over six months? These are the questions which need to be answered with evidence,” Ruku said.
Ruku said the findings pointed to long-standing weaknesses in payroll management and accountability across parts of the public service.
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To address the loopholes, the government has directed all ministries, departments, agencies and state corporations to migrate to the Integrated Human Resource and Payroll System (IHRPS).
He said the system will place all public servants under a single payroll platform, making it easier to verify employee records, strengthen oversight and curb fraudulent salary payments.
The payroll review covered 12 state departments as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to eliminate ghost workers, improve accountability and safeguard public funds.
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PHOTO | Francis Meja | FB
