Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku /XPublic Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has revoked the payroll system access rights of 84 human resources officers and ordered them to take mandatory 30-day leave as investigations into suspected irregularities in the public service payroll intensify.
The administrative measures follow ongoing investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), which have unearthed suspected irregular transactions in the payroll systems of the Ministry of Health, Kenya Police Service and Kenya Prisons Service.
Ruku said the measures were intended to allow forensic investigations to proceed without interference and pave the way for further action against officers found culpable.
In a statement, the CS said public officers had a constitutional duty to manage public resources prudently and account for any actions or omissions that could result in the loss of public funds.
“The principles of public service in accordance with the Constitution demand public officers to utilise public resources prudently and judiciously,” Ruku said.
He warned that officers who violate the Constitution and laws governing the management of public resources must be held accountable for their actions.
“Any officer who violates the Constitution and other laws that prescribe management of public resources must take responsibility and be held accountable for their commissions and omissions that lead to loss of public monies,” he said.
The 84 officers will have their access to the payroll system withdrawn as investigators examine the suspected transactions and establish how the alleged irregularities occurred.
The State Department for Public Service and Human Capital Development will immediately deploy new human resources officers to take over payroll management in the affected ministry and services.
The changes are intended to ensure continuity in payroll operations while investigations continue and prevent the officers under scrutiny from accessing the system during the probe.
Ruku said the government would take further stern action against officers found responsible for the suspected irregularities once investigations are concluded.
The investigations come amid renewed scrutiny of public expenditure and the management of government payrolls, where weaknesses in access controls and oversight can expose public funds to potential abuse.
The CS did not specify the value of the suspected irregular transactions or provide details of the individual officers affected.
The preliminary findings are expected to guide further investigations and determine whether criminal or administrative action will be taken against those accountable.
