Nairobi City County faces scrutiny after Auditor General Nancy Gathungu’s report revealed irregularities in the hiring of more than 3,800 employees under Governor Johnson Sakaja’s administration.
The audit covering the 2023/2024 financial year found that the recruitment process lacked transparency, proper documentation, and compliance with public service regulations. The report noted that advertisements, employment plans, longlists, shortlists, interview reports, and score sheets were missing, making it impossible to verify whether positions existed or how staff were recruited.
“Recruitment was done for cadres that could not be traced in the staff establishment, scheme of services, and IPPD. These included Chief Executive Officers for City County Referral Hospitals. In addition, there was no clarity on the minimum requirement of the grade,” Gathungu said.
The audit also revealed that the county continued paying salaries to dismissed employees. Thirteen former staff received backdated payments for up to two years without explanation or disclosure of amounts. The county failed to stop payments within the 10-day period required by the Public Service Human Resource Policy, 2016.
Significant discrepancies were also found in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD). Some officers’ basic salaries were altered multiple times, with one changed six times in a year. Additionally, 3,216 officers changed job groups more than once, while 24 changed three times. Payroll numbers were at times linked to different national ID numbers or tax PINs, and 197 officers had birth dates modified multiple times.
The audit highlighted several appointments to senior positions without required academic qualifications or experience. For instance, one officer was appointed Director of Infrastructure and Information Security without a Master’s degree in Computer Science or ICT-related discipline or completion of a strategic leadership course. Another officer became Assistant Director of Infrastructure and Information Security without prior experience in the required grade or holding a Master’s degree.
Other cases included officers promoted to senior ICT roles or cultural leadership positions without meeting minimum service requirements. The report raises concerns over governance, accountability, and compliance within Nairobi City County’s human resource management.
