Staff audit kicks off after protests against huge wage bill

The county has started a staff audit in the wake of complaints that a rising wage bill was threatening implementation of projects.

The county assembly recommended the audit after it emerged that only 30 per cent of the budget was used for development while the rest went to recurrent expenditure.

In a notice signed by the county public service board (CSPB) chairman Michael Lelit, all staff are required to report at designated venues.

“Following the resolution by the county assembly that the board undertake a staff audit, all staff are required to go to the venues of their convenience with all the necessary documents,” read the notice.

It warned that any staff who failed to participate in the exercise would have their salary stopped.

The assembly's budget and economic planning committee chairman, John Yator, said the CSPB had admitted to the committee that there could be staff working in the county who were employed without its knowledge.

“We need to rationalise the staff in the county because it appears there might be ghost workers and staff duplication that has added to the wage bill. The audit will give us the basis of how staff were hired,” said Mr Yator.

He said his team had ordered a freeze on employment in some departments that are overstaffed until the audit was completed.

“The committee has allocated the board Sh12 million to undertake audit and ensure things are done according to the law. The board has until December 5 to provide the assembly with a report,” said the ward rep. 

Speaker Philemon Sabulei said the audit would be overseen by the assembly to ensure credibility of the process.