Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has directed all county governments to integrate their payrolls into the online Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database (IPPD) within 30 days, emphasizing the move as critical in eradicating ghost workers.
Speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) during the FY 2026/27 and Medium-Term Budget Preparation Process launch, Mbadi said the government will no longer tolerate resistance from counties. “On integrating the payroll system, we have noted that counties are still resisting. The notion that we should wait for MDAs, county assemblies, or county executives is incorrect. When will they be ready?” he asked.
Mbadi revealed that counties spend an average of 55 per cent of total revenue on salaries, drawn from both own-source revenues and national government allocations, calling the practice unlawful and unsustainable. He decried the existence of ghost workers, noting that many counties still operate parallel manual, casual, and online payrolls, inflating wage bills. Some counties reportedly spend over half of their annual revenue on salaries, while hiring individuals who should not be on the payroll.
The CS warned that the directive is mandatory. “This is an instruction, and therefore, county executives must be onboarded soonest,” he said. He appointed Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo to oversee implementation, noting that the measures are vital to curbing ghost workers, reducing waste, and addressing budget deficits.
Mbadi also instructed all ministries, departments, and state agencies (MDAs) to fully implement the eProcurement system, cautioning that any attempt to revert to paper-based procurement will not be tolerated. He noted that some government employees had attempted to resist the system to manipulate procurement processes.
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