Senate Orders Audit to Determine Salary Arrears Owed to County Workers
The Senate’s County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) has directed the Office of the Auditor-General to carry out a detailed review to establish how much money county governments owe their employees.
The review will cover delayed salaries, unremitted statutory deductions, gratuity, pension contributions and Sacco remittances across all 47 county governments.
The Committee raised concern over a common practice where counties deduct money from workers’ salaries but fail to send the funds to the relevant agencies. CPAC Chairperson Senator Moses Kajwang’ said the situation has caused serious financial hardship for many current and former county employees.
“It is now clear that counties are mistreating the people who work for them,” Senator Kajwang’ said as he ordered the Auditor-General to conduct the analysis.
The directive was issued during a session where the Committee questioned Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka over issues raised in the Auditor-General’s report for the 2024/2025 financial year.
Although the review will cover all counties, the Auditor-General was instructed to begin with Bungoma County. The Committee heard that Bungoma has not paid gratuity to staff who served under former Governor Wycliffe Wangamati between 2017 and 2022.
Governor Lusaka confirmed that workers who served between 2013 and 2017 had been paid. However, Bungoma Senator David Wakoli pointed out that gratuity for tutors who served during Lusaka’s first term in 2014 had not been settled.
According to the Auditor-General’s report, Bungoma County owed Sh549 million in unremitted pension contributions by June 30, 2025. The county had also accumulated salary arrears of Sh1.7 billion, covering unpaid salaries for May and June 2025.
Governor Lusaka told the Committee that the salary arrears had since been paid, leaving Sh549 million in unremitted statutory deductions. He blamed the problem on the previous administration and supported calls for those responsible to be held accountable.
“Those who failed to remit deducted salaries must be pursued and prosecuted,” Lusaka said.
The Committee directed the Auditor-General to carry out an aging analysis to show how long the unpaid amounts have been outstanding. This, members said, will help identify long-standing problems and guide corrective action.
The Auditor-General was ordered to submit a full report covering all 47 counties within seven days.
Governor Lusaka was also questioned over rising pending bills, the lack of an internal audit committee, delays in setting up the County Public Service Board, and alleged violations of procurement laws that have led to the termination of contracts without proper procedure.