Perhaps most damning is the finding on ethnic imbalance. As of June 2024, a staggering 89% of employees in the county payroll belonged to one predominant ethnic group. Even more alarming, 94% of new hires during the review period came from the same community. This blatant violation of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008, and the County Governments Act, 2012, underscores a culture of exclusion and patronage in county employment
By The Weekly Vision Investigations Desk
The County Government of Siaya, under Governor James Orengo, is once again under scrutiny after a damning Special Audit by the Auditor-General exposed far-reaching payroll irregularities, ranging from ghost workers to ethnic bias in recruitment.
The revelations paint a picture of systemic rot, weak internal controls, and possible collusion within the county’s human resources and finance departments. The audit revealed that 318 employees had discrepancies in their birth records, while the personal details of dozens of others did not match between the official payroll system and their personal files. In some cases, employees’ information contradicted even their birth certificates and national identity cards, raising suspicions of fictitious records being used to siphon public funds.
One particularly shocking case involved a civil servant who was concurrently employed by both the Siaya County Executive and the Ministry of Health during the 2021/22 financial year. The officer pocketed Kshs. 1.18 million in payments from the county, despite drawing a parallel salary from the national government.
The Special Audit also uncovered ghost workers. Five individuals on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD) system did not appear on staff lists signed by Chief Officers, yet still received a total of Kshs. 4.33 million. In another instance, seven employees who failed to present themselves for physical verification were found to have drawn Kshs. 5.05 million in salaries.
The reliance on manual payroll systems, which processed more than Kshs. 78 million in salaries was flagged as a high-risk practice vulnerable to manipulation and fraud. This loophole, the report warns, may have allowed unauthorised disbursements to unverified individuals.
Irregular promotions were also rampant. In the past three financial years, more than 60 officers were promoted without adherence to the official schemes of service. At least one employee was elevated to a higher job group without any supporting documentation, such as promotion letters.
Overpayments and duplicate payments further highlight the scale of mismanagement. An employee with an overpayment balance of Kshs. 1.25 million is unlikely to have the debt fully recovered before exiting service. Four casual workers received double their salaries, amounting to Kshs. 662,148 from separate departments.
Even allowances were abused. Non-nurses were paid Kshs. 150,000 in uniform allowances, while dozens of employees irregularly pocketed telephone allowances totalling Kshs. 1.63 million, contrary to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) guidelines, which reserve such benefits for the Governor, Deputy Governor, and County Executive Committee Members. In addition, 33 officers were overpaid house allowances amounting to Kshs. 1.65 million in breach of a 2023 SRC circular.
Perhaps most damning is the finding on ethnic imbalance. As of June 2024, a staggering 89% of employees in the county payroll belonged to one predominant ethnic group. Even more alarming, 94% of new hires during the review period came from the same community. This blatant violation of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008, and the County Governments Act, 2012, underscores a culture of exclusion and patronage in county employment.
The Special Audit concludes that the Siaya County Executive has been operating a payroll riddled with irregularities, enabling wastage, nepotism, and possible fraud. Unless urgent reforms are undertaken, the report warns, millions of shillings in public funds will continue to leak through manipulation of payroll systems, unauthorised allowances, and non-existent employees.
Governor Orengo’s administration is now under mounting pressure to take responsibility, implement robust payroll controls, and ensure accountability for those implicated in the multi-million shilling scandal.
