Headcount of all public service staff begins nationwide

President Uhuru Kenyatta led the way as the biometric registration of all civil servants, aimed at weeding out ghost workers, got under way on Monday.

The staff audit will verify the salaries of the workers based on their qualifications.

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru, who is in charge of the listing, said each public servant is required to present an original national identity card, a completed biometric data form and original academic and professional certificates.

Workers should also have letters of first and present appointments, a current payslip and a birth certificate, she said.

ENTRENCHING EFFICIENCY

“After the registration of all public workers, I hope that within a short time we will be able to put to rest the issue of ghost workers,” Ms Waiguru said on the exercise that was rolled out in all counties.

President Kenyatta said besides identifying bogus workers, the registration would entrench efficiency and effectiveness in the public service.

He launched the drive at State House in Mombasa.

“It is in your best interest that you get registered lest you are counted as a ghost worker,” President Kenyatta told State employees.

He assured them that no one would be victimised.

STRUCK OFF

Planning Principal Secretary Peter Mangiti said workers who failed to register by October 11 would be considered “ghost workers” and would be struck off the public service payroll.

The PS, who led the campaign at Harambee House, said all ministries in the national and county governments would be registered.

Mr Mangiti said the recording of National Government employees would go on until September 13, while those working for the county governments are required to register from September 14 to October 11.

He said the State had trained more than 700 senior civil servants to conduct the exercise under the inter-governmental committee on joint Capacity Assessment and Rationalisation of the Public Service (Carps).

UNION SUPPORTS EXERCISE

“By the end of the two month-period for the registry, the State will be able to align government structures, processes and programmes to the mandate of the national and county governments,” Mr Mangiti said.

The chairman of the Union of Kenya Civil Servants (UKCS), Mr Noah Rotich, said in Nakuru: “The biometric registration will help in establishing the actual number of staff employed at both levels of governments. As an association we fully welcome and support it.”

Mr Rotich said the government had lost a lot of money over a long period of time. The money, he said, could have been channelled towards development.

REPORT TO HEADQUARTERS

He asked all public servants to report to their county headquarters and take part without failure.

The Head of Public Service, Mr Joseph Kinyua, said the registration was in line with the implementation of the Constitution.

“When Kenyans voted for the Constitution in 2010, with its provisions that include establishment of two levels of government and reduction in the number of ministries, the overriding concern was enhanced service delivery.”

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku said the registration would enable the government to reduce the wage bill, which has substantially become unmanageable.

'ECONOMIC GROWTH'

“With the monitoring, the country will achieve accelerated economic growth,” Mr Lenku said.

The minister said the programme was being implemented as a result of an agreement reached during a summit of National Government and county government leaders held in June 19 last year.

He allayed fears that there would be job losses because of the skills assessment among public servants, saying that the listing was meant to make the public service more efficient and responsive to the needs of the citizens.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu, who launched the registration of workers at Ardhi House in Nairobi, said: “I have sent some of my officers to Lamu to issue title deeds. I expected them to complete the work within the next 10 days so that they can be registered.”

Reporting by Stella Cherono, Mike Mwaniki, Maryanne Gicobi, Billy Muiruri and Francis Mureithi