Gov't uncovers unborn, underage 'employees' in Ksh.6.2B payroll scandal

The government has stated that it will not relent in its payroll clean-up drive after an internal audit exposed shocking irregularities, including unborn children and minors drawing salaries from State coffers.

The audit also flagged civil servants receiving multiple salaries, irregular payments and other anomalies that have laid bare deep-seated rot in the public service payroll system.

The investigation estimates that payroll fraud and related leakages have cost taxpayers Ksh.6.2 billion, raising fresh questions about oversight and accountability in government.

In an exclusive interview with Citizen TV, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku said an internal audit commissioned last June uncovered widespread payroll fraud across government, exposing systemic irregularities and billions of shillings in potential losses to the public coffers.

The report revealed baffling irregularities in the government payroll, including individuals who have been earning salaries despite records showing they were employed before they were even born.

Another shocking finding was the payment of salaries to individuals listed as government employees even though official records indicated they had not attained the age of 18.

"There were issues of employees who were employed before they were born. Some civil servants were employed before the age of 18 years," Ruku said.

The report further revealed that multiple salary payments were channelled to a single personal bank account within the same financial year.

The audit also uncovered cases of individuals receiving more than one salary from the government payroll, exposing further weaknesses in the system.

"There are employees who are sharing bank accounts. There are employees who do not have bank accounts in the system, but the records show they are receiving salaries," Ruku said.

The report also examined the payroll of the National Police Service (NPS), where investigators uncovered significant anomalies.

The audit found cases of multiple employees sharing the same bank account, with a staggering Ksh.313.6 million channelled to a single personal account in one financial year, while the identities of the ultimate beneficiaries remain unclear.

The report also flagged payments totalling Ksh.20 million made to employees who had no valid bank account details on record.

"There are employees without bank accounts, yet they have been paid salaries," Ruku said.

Of the 12 state departments audited, the Department of Immigration also emerged as a major area of concern.

The audit uncovered unverified salary arrears exceeding six months, with Ksh.31.5 million paid out without adequate supporting documentation.

Investigators also found cases of employees receiving duplicate salary payments, while others were paid for periods they did not work.

"Why would the government accumulate salary arrears of over six months? Why?" Ruku posed.

The Public Service Ministry says it has now set a deadline for the mandatory migration of all ministries, departments, agencies and state corporations to the newly revamped Integrated Human Resource and Payroll System.

Officials say the move is aimed at sealing payroll loopholes, enhancing accountability and curbing fraud by ensuring all public servants are captured under a single, centralised platform.