A special audit by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu revealed that 27,284 workers were hired unlawfully between the 2021/22 and 2023/24 financial years, in blatant violation of public service recruitment laws.
The report indicates that most counties conducted mass hiring without approved staff establishment plans, budgetary provisions, or clear justification for the new positions.
The findings show that only six counties did not recruit new staff during the three-year period. Uasin Gishu County emerged as the biggest offender after hiring 3,982 workers, excluding casual labourers.
It was followed by Kitui with 1,715 hires, Trans Nzoia with 1,082, and Turkana with 1,054.
According to the Auditor-General, departments in Uasin Gishu carried out recruitment exercises without annual human resource plans to guide the process.
As a result, the county’s wage bill averaged 41.7 per cent over the period under review, exceeding the legally allowed ceiling of 35 per cent.
The report further shows that 14.6 per cent of all illegally recruited staff were employed in Uasin Gishu alone.
Other counties that recorded high numbers of irregular hires include Bomet, Nyamira, Nakuru, Nairobi, Narok, and Laikipia, completing the list of the top ten counties involved.
In Narok County, the audit revealed that some employees were hired without job advertisements, while others were recruited despite not applying for the advertised positions.
In Embu County, the governor was faulted for creating illegal offices, including those of county chaplain and health adviser.
Similar irregularities were identified in Lamu and Samburu counties, where workers were hired without proper needs assessments or through direct appointments.
The Auditor-General warned that such practices undermine transparency, strain county finances, and compromise service delivery, leaving thousands of workers facing an uncertain future.
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