PSC warns: no government salaries outside the official payroll system
Key points
- PSC chair Francis Meja ordered diligence so no government salaries are paid outside the official payroll system.
- 2024/2025 Values Compliance Report flagged off-payroll salary payments; special audit found anomalies in 12 state agencies.
- HR directors warned not to sign payrolls without accuracy and probity checks; personal liability for inaction on PSC decisions.
- Workshop held at Lake Naivasha Resort, Nakuru County, with PS Dr Jane Imbunya and PSC commissioners present.
Ghost workers love a parallel payslip. Public Service Commission chair Francis Meja has told ministry HR chiefs to stop any salary payments outside the official payroll system, KBC reported from a Naivasha workshop.
Speaking at Lake Naivasha Resort in Nakuru County on Thursday, Meja said the Commission’s 2024/2025 Values Compliance Report flagged off-payroll salary cases, and a recent special government audit found payroll anomalies in 12 state agencies. “You are called upon to be diligent in your job and ensure that you don’t just sign off the payroll without ascertaining accuracy and probity of the information,” he said. He noted Kenya still struggles to embed values despite 14 annual compliance reports since the 2010 Constitution, and warned HR heads will be held personally liable for ignoring PSC decisions. Public Service PS Dr Jane Imbunya and commissioners including Dr Francis Owino, Dr Irene Asienga and Boya Molu attended the values institutionalisation training.
Liability without systems is theatre
Personal threats work only if IPPD and agency systems are locked, audited and integrated with IFMIS. Otherwise HR becomes the scapegoat for political casuals hired off the books.
Kenya-news desk: Kenya News. Verified 12 agencies figure and Meja quotes from KBC.
Treasury and PSC should name the 12 agencies and remediation deadlines. Whistleblowers need a safe channel for off-payroll evidence.
Until then, “no payment outside payroll” remains a workshop slogan.
Parliament’s public accounts trackers should demand the special-audit follow-up letters to each of the 12 agencies within 30 days of Meja’s warning.
Official gazettes, court rulings and agency circulars may update these facts after publication; readers should verify any deadline, fee or court date against primary sources before acting.
Based on KBC reporting of the PSC Naivasha briefing. Audit details may expand in full reports.
