Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru warns officials linked to ghost workers

Government officials found to have abetted malpractices in the public service will face prosecution, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has warned.

She said legal action would commence once the ongoing Capacity Assessment and Rationalisation of the Public Service (Carps) programme was completed.

Speaking in Kisumu where she launched the programme, Ms Waiguru put on notice all national and county government officials concerned, adding that investigations had begun.

“Those who aid or pocket ghost salaries and perpetuate ghost workers to defraud the Government will not be spared,” said Waiguru.

She said the wage bill had been an issue of concern for Kenyans, with ghost workers said to be the reaping a big chunk of the money.

The exercise has caused anxiety in the public service, with a section of leaders expressing discontent with the process.

The Cabinet Secretary however downplayed the fears, saying no valid employee would be punished for lack of documents.

 RELEVANT AUTHORITIES

She said the exercise was driven by the need for reforms in the public sector to ensure transparency, accountability, efficiency, speed and sustainable development nationally and at county level.

She said the Government had all employment and deployment records of staff and advised those missing such documents to get them from the relevant authorities.

“The Government’s files are updated and any appointment letter can be traced. Let those who lack any of the mentioned documents get them from the relevant places. Do not fear unless you are a ghost worker,” she added.

The biometric data capture exercise began yesterday in 23 counties. All national and county staff are expected to physically appear at sub-county registration centres with national identity cards, letters of first appointment and latest deployment, academic and birth certificates.

The process expected to take 10 days in every county is aimed at mainstreaming the public service through strategic reviews of functions, structures, skills audit and staff deployment.

The CS said the process was the result of an agreement signed between the national and county governments in 2013 and called for maximum co-operation from all the 47 devolved units.