Nairobi — The Cabinet has approved the implementation of a Unified Personnel Identification (UPI) system to eradicate "ghost workers" and payroll fraud across all levels of government, including constitutional commissions.
In a Cabinet dispatch on Tuesday, the Cabinet said the initiative is part of a broader strategy by the government to enhance transparency and accountability across all levels of governance.
"As part of the Administration's commitment to advancing accountability and transparency in the management of public affairs as a strategy to combat corruption, Cabinet assessed the progress made under a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening governance and ensuring the prudent use of public resources," read the dispatch.
The decision comes after an annual report covering the 2022/2023 financial year by the Public Service Commission (PSC) established that there were 19,467 ghost workers in the national government, including 12,535 in ministries and their departments, 4,558 in state corporations, and 2,287 in public universities.
PSC reported 100 ghost workers at State House.
The Cabinet also resolved to establish a legal and institutional framework for mandatory and continuous vetting of all public officers, centralizing wealth declarations under a single office across the Government.
This measure seeks to maintain a high standard of professionalism and integrity within the public sector.
The Cabinet also backed the amendment of statutes including the Evidence Act and the Criminal Procedure Code to expedite investigation and prosecution of corruption and economic crimes with the objective to esnure their conclusion within six months.
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