[Kenya] Payroll problem sees 500 county government employees unpaid for months

In Kenya, more than 500 employees of the Siaya County Government have been without salaries for two months after being locked out of the payroll system due to missing personal file numbers, Dawan Africa reports.

Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) say the payroll system error has exposed deep administrative failures within the county's HR department.

The ongoing issue, which has impacted permanent employees, casual labourers and even senior county officials, was addressed in the County Assembly. MCAs reportedly accused county administrators of negligence, inefficiency and possible corruption.

Workers were unable to receive their March and April salaries after the Controller of Budget stopped manual salary payments outside the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD). The move effectively shuts out employees whose records have not been properly processed.

Addressing the House, Speaker George Okode and MCAs explained the impact on affected workers.

"Their lives have been rendered so difficult," Mr Okode said.

"Their doors have been locked because they cannot pay rent, their children have been kicked out of school, and they cannot settle their bills. We want action taken against officers who have slept on the job."

The Speaker added that the situation had exposed some of the county's lowest-paid workers, including market cleaners and hospital support staff, to severe economic hardship.

The situation has reportedly intensified scrutiny of the county's HR department, with legislators demanding accountability from officers responsible for managing employee records.

The Chairman of the Siaya County Public Service Board, Charles Gordon Juma, stated that he had personal experience of the problem.

"Come June 2026, I will be two years without a personal file number," Mr Juma told the Assembly. 

The Assembly heard that the county owes these employees more than KSh 48 million ($370,770) in wage arrears.

Chief Officer for Governance and Administration Walter Okello reportedly acknowledged the severity of the problem, telling members that efforts were underway to resolve it.

He stated that the county government had engaged the State Department for Public Service Management to expedite the generation of the missing personal file numbers.

"Following the engagement, we agreed on a timeline of 10 June 2026 to complete the exercise," Mr Okello said.

Speaker Okode gave an ultimatum to the county executive, demanding that all outstanding salary arrears be cleared before the close of the current financial year on 30 June 2026.

"We know the money is provided for in the budget up to 30 June 2026," he said.

"Whatever you are doing, these workers must be paid before the end of this financial year.”

Source: Dawan Africa

In Kenya, more than 500 employees of the Siaya County Government have been without salaries for two months after being locked out of the payroll system due to missing personal file numbers, Dawan Africa reports.

Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) say the payroll system error has exposed deep administrative failures within the county's HR department.

The ongoing issue, which has impacted permanent employees, casual labourers and even senior county officials, was addressed in the County Assembly. MCAs reportedly accused county administrators of negligence, inefficiency and possible corruption.

Workers were unable to receive their March and April salaries after the Controller of Budget stopped manual salary payments outside the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD). The move effectively shuts out employees whose records have not been properly processed.

Addressing the House, Speaker George Okode and MCAs explained the impact on affected workers.

"Their lives have been rendered so difficult," Mr Okode said.

"Their doors have been locked because they cannot pay rent, their children have been kicked out of school, and they cannot settle their bills. We want action taken against officers who have slept on the job."

The Speaker added that the situation had exposed some of the county's lowest-paid workers, including market cleaners and hospital support staff, to severe economic hardship.

The situation has reportedly intensified scrutiny of the county's HR department, with legislators demanding accountability from officers responsible for managing employee records.

The Chairman of the Siaya County Public Service Board, Charles Gordon Juma, stated that he had personal experience of the problem.

"Come June 2026, I will be two years without a personal file number," Mr Juma told the Assembly. 

The Assembly heard that the county owes these employees more than KSh 48 million ($370,770) in wage arrears.

Chief Officer for Governance and Administration Walter Okello reportedly acknowledged the severity of the problem, telling members that efforts were underway to resolve it.

He stated that the county government had engaged the State Department for Public Service Management to expedite the generation of the missing personal file numbers.

"Following the engagement, we agreed on a timeline of 10 June 2026 to complete the exercise," Mr Okello said.

Speaker Okode gave an ultimatum to the county executive, demanding that all outstanding salary arrears be cleared before the close of the current financial year on 30 June 2026.

"We know the money is provided for in the budget up to 30 June 2026," he said.

"Whatever you are doing, these workers must be paid before the end of this financial year.”

Source: Dawan Africa