Shock of Sh300m lost in jobs scam

Nyamira County has lost about Sh300 million in irregular job promotions and falsified salary arrears claims over the last four years.

The details are contained in a report by the Nyamira Payroll Audit task force, commissioned by Governor John Nyagarama to investigate claims of impropriety associated with irregular employment and illicit promotions of county staff.

Irregular employment

According to the report whose contents were seen by the Saturday Standard, hundreds of county employees had their job grades irregularly elevated while beneficiaries of irregular employment claimed salary arrears amounting to hundreds of millions after falsifying their appointment letters.

“Most of the illegally employed staff backdated their appointment letters for up to 12 months. As a result, they would claim salary arrears for the entire period backdated,” read part of the report.

The report has laid bare details of how senior government officials colluded with payroll officers to enlist the irregularly hired staff and effect irregular job grade promotions.

In 2015, the county lost Sh15 million due to illegal promotions while in 2016, Sh60 million was lost in promotions and falsified salary arrears.

2017 was the most catastrophic year after the county lostSh151 million in the same manner.

In 2018 and part of 2019, it is estimated that Sh30 million was lost in the racket. 

For instance, one person’s appointment letter was issued before he could finish secondary school education. The appointment letter is dated April 2016 while his secondary school certificate is dated November 2016.

In another incidence, a female employee hired as a senior support staff in 2014  irregularly rose through the ranks from job group H to job group Q in four years.

According to Public Service Human Resource Policy of 2016, an employee must serve in a single job grade for at least three years before a promotion is considered.

But according to Public Service Management Executive Bernard Osumo, all monies lost in employment rackets will be fully recovered from the beneficiaries.

The report is currently with the governor, who is expected to table it before the executive committee for adoption.

Yesterday, Mr Osumo said five payroll officers have been interdicted.

“The interdicted are paving way for further investigation over allegations leveled on them by the report before a final decision regarding their involvement, directly or indirectly is made,” Osumo said.