By Eddah Waithaka
The Kenyan government will introduce a centralized payroll system next month to wipe out ghost workers and stop duplicate salary payments across all ministries, agencies, and county assemblies.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi confirmed the August rollout, stating that the new system will replace all existing payment platforms for public servants.
The move targets widespread payroll fraud, particularly in devolved governments.
“This system will finally eliminate ghost workers, stop multiple payrolls, and crack down on illegal salary deductions disguised as statutory payments or Sacco contributions,” Mbadi declared.
“Forcing unauthorized deductions is like stealing from employees.” The CS singled out county governments as the biggest offenders, accusing them of maintaining shadow payrolls.
He warned that no excuses would be accepted once the system goes live. Mbadi spoke during a high-level meeting with EACC Chairperson David Oginde on Wednesday, where they discussed anti-corruption measures and financial reforms.
Oginde stressed that defeating graft requires a united effort, “Corruption keeps robbing taxpayers blind. We’re ready to fight back, but every institution must play its part.”
The Treasury chief revealed broader safeguards, including a shift to paperless transactions via the Electronic Government Procurement (EGP) system and a new Treasury Single Account to monitor all government funds in real time.
“Right now, we sometimes lose track of our own cash reserves,” Mbadi admitted. “We’ve even borrowed money we already had without realizing it.”
The EACC used the meeting to push for increased funding, arguing that proper resourcing is critical for its anti-graft operations.
Counties lose billions annually to ghost workers and payroll fraud, making transparency in salary payments crucial; the new system aims to address these issues by enforcing stricter oversight and accountability.
By implementing digital reforms, officials intend to plug loopholes in public finance management, responding to increasing pressure to curb government waste and recover stolen funds.
This overhaul represents a significant step toward more efficient and responsible financial practices in the public sector.
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