Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has ordered 84 human resource officers from the Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Police Service and two State Departments in the Ministry of Health to step aside for 30 working days over suspected payroll fraud.
The officers will temporarily leave their duties as the government investigates suspected irregular payments identified in a public service payroll audit and a report by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Ruku has also directed the immediate removal of the officers’ access to payroll systems as part of measures to protect public funds and prevent further irregularities.
The affected principal secretaries and accounting officers have been instructed to take the necessary administrative steps to secure public resources, preserve evidence and address weaknesses in the payroll systems.
The directive follows the 2025 Public Service Payroll Audit and a DCI report dated October 7, 2026, which flagged suspected irregular payroll transactions in the affected departments.
The findings have prompted the government to take action as it moves to establish how the suspected transactions occurred and who may have been involved.
The government will appoint replacement human resource managers immediately and give them the necessary access to payroll systems to ensure salaries are processed without disruption.
Ruku has directed the relevant principal secretaries and accounting officers to ensure that the changes are implemented lawfully. They are also expected to safeguard records and other evidence that may be needed during investigations.
The 30-working-day period will allow the government to take administrative measures while the suspected irregularities are addressed.
However, any disciplinary action against the affected officers must be supported by available evidence and comply with the law.
The directive does not, by itself, establish that the 84 officers committed fraud. Their individual responsibility will depend on the evidence gathered and the decisions made by the legally authorised officials.
The earlier audit raised concerns about weaknesses in payroll management and unauthorised changes to employee records, prompting calls for stronger controls and accountability across government institutions.
By withdrawing the affected officers’ access and bringing in replacements, the government aims to protect payroll operations while the current concerns are addressed.
