The Ministry of Public Service has announced a sweeping nationwide crackdown targeting corrupt human resource officers accused of tampering with government payroll systems. The operation, which begins this week, seeks to eliminate officials manipulating employment records for personal enrichment and restore integrity within the civil service.
Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku issued a stern warning to public officials who are involved in corrupt practices, noting that anyone found to be at fault will be ousted and prosecuted immediately.
Addressing a rally in Embu over the weekend, Ruku revealed that a recent audit of the human resource systems of the government revealed extensive malpractice, collusion, and systemic abuse for draining public funds. Investigations showed some HR officers had illegally changed birth dates in official records, allowing some employees to stay on after the statutory retirement age.
Ruku condemned the malpractice as a serious breach of ethics and a gross abuse of office, saying it undermines transparency, fairness, and meritocracy in public administration.
The CS further revealed that some HR officials have been facilitating illegal tax exemptions for select individuals, causing significant losses to the government. He vowed that such corrupt dealings would no longer be tolerated under his watch.
“We have identified disturbing trends where certain HR officials are helping individuals evade taxes and manipulate official records to remain in service illegally. Those involved will be prosecuted and face the full force of the law,” Ruku warned.
The audit also exposed job group manipulation, where certain civil servants were irregularly promoted or placed in higher salary brackets within short periods, without due process. Ruku said these fraudulent promotions have bloated the public wage bill and demoralized honest officers who advance through merit.
He added that the ministry will work closely with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and other investigative agencies to identify and punish rogue HR officers at both national and county levels.
“We will be working very closely with the EACC to ensure taxpayers’ money is protected and that the public service becomes a model of merit, not a haven for corruption,” Ruku affirmed.
Ruku confirmed that investigations are already underway into cases of payroll fraud, ghost workers, irregular promotions, and illegal allowances.
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