EMBU, Kenya – Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has announced a nationwide crackdown targeting corrupt human resource officers accused of manipulating government payroll systems for personal gain.
Ruku said the operation, set to begin this week, follows a forensic audit that exposed widespread malpractice and collusion in public service human resource departments.
Speaking in Embu over the weekend, the CS said the probe uncovered cases where HR officers unlawfully altered employees’ birth dates in government databases to extend their tenure beyond the mandatory retirement age.
“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 revealed instances where HR officers irregularly promoted staff or placed them in higher job groups and salary brackets without following due process.
Ruku said such actions have inflated the public wage bill and demoralised diligent officers who advance through merit.
He further disclosed that some officials had facilitated illegal tax exemptions for select individuals, leading to significant revenue losses for the government.
Ruku described these acts as “gross abuse of office” and vowed that his ministry will not tolerate fraudulent conduct in the public service.
“We will work very closely with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and other relevant agencies to ensure taxpayers’ money is protected and that the public service becomes a model of merit, not a haven for corruption,” he said.
The ministry has already launched investigations into payroll fraud, ghost workers, irregular promotions, and illegal allowances at both national and county levels.
