The government has ordered the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to immediately launch investigations into suspected payroll fraud across Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and State Corporations, amid allegations of widespread irregularities in the public wage bill.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The orders were announced on Tuesday, June 30, during a cabinet meeting chaired by President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi.

According to a cabinet dispatch received by Kenyans.co.ke , the investigations will target alleged manipulation of payroll systems, including unauthorised alterations to records, irregular payments, and the exploitation of weak internal controls within government institutions.   The directive also requires the DCI to verify personal numbers used in payroll processing, dismantle suspected criminal networks involved in payroll manipulation, and ensure the recovery of public funds lost through fraudulent activities.

“Cabinet directed the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to investigate payroll fraud, verify personal numbers used in payroll processing, dismantle criminal networks manipulating Government payroll systems, recover lost public funds, and ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of all persons found culpable,” the dispatch read in part.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to the dispatch, the decision followed a comprehensive payroll audit that revealed that out of the 53 state departments, 12 of them revealed suspected payroll irregularities amounting to KSh6.2 billion, raising concerns over the integrity of public payroll management systems.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke