Gov’t Threatens Salary Delays as Public Service Ministry Tightens Grip on Payroll Data

The Ministry of Public Service has issued a stern warning to ministries, departments, agencies, and county governments to submit their data on civil servants before the end of September, or risk salary delays.

Public Service Principal Secretary Jane Imbunya, speaking on Citizen Radio on Monday morning, said the government is consolidating all workers’ details into the Human Resource Information System (HRIS), a new platform designed to enhance transparency and eliminate irregular payments.

“I want to warn all government agencies that have not submitted their data to the Ministry of Public Service so that we can compile that on the Human Resource Information System, where we identify workers with one identifier. You risk missing out on your September money allocation to remit to their pay,” Imbunya cautioned.

The HRIS platform captures every public servant under a single digital profile, including national identity, job group, cadre, and posting. Officials say it will help weed out ghost workers, detect duplications, and align payroll data with legally approved establishments. This means ministries and counties will only be able to pay salaries for positions that exist under the law.

Alongside HRIS, the ministry is rolling out an automated e-platform where government entities must regularly upload and update their information. The system will serve as a central gateway for citizens to access services across ministries and agencies, from applying for documents to paying fees and managing records.

In July, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku announced that the ministry is also developing a mobile app, in partnership with a local telecommunications company, to pay all civil servants directly, a move intended to further curb ghost workers.

Imbunya stressed that these reforms are central to the administration’s agenda. “I ask all government levels, from the county and national government, to write and request access to update your system on the automated e-platform,” she said, making it clear that incomplete submissions would not be processed.