An erroneous Sh25million payment to a Nyamira County staff member as house allowance instead of the requisite Sh2,700 has sparked fears of possible existence of a cash-siphoning syndicates in counties targeting to inflate and manipulate figures without detection.
According to Nyamira County Directorate of Human Resource Management, the recipient identified as Rose Bosibori Guto was paid Sh25,016,152 more than required.
The payment was made in March this year but the county officials did not report the overpayment.
Instead, through a letter dated April 6, 2023, Bosibori was notified by the Human Resource office through a letter signed by Godfrey Kiriago that she was paid Sh25million instead of Sh2,700.
“It has been noted that you were erroneously paid a house allowance of Sh25,018, 852 as indicated in your pay slip instead of Sh2,700 for the month of March 2023.” The letter reads in part.
The county, however, did not indicate when the payment was made to the employee.
The county government explained that the excess money had been deducted.
“Please note that the excess salary paid to you erroneously has been deducted from your pay but your salary for the month of March 2023 has been paid plus your accrued salary arrears and allowances totaling to Sh19,052.” The letter adds in part.
Poor budgetary controls, unauthorised payments, non-adherence to approved budgets and unsupported payments in the financial management have been cited among the glaring loopholes by investigative agencies and the Auditor General in counties.
For example, in 2017, auditors in Taita Taveta county found that payments of Sh978,000 through a bank transfer in December 2017, and another a salary voucher of Sh7,725,055 for the County Assembly — were made without approval by the accounting officer as the space for authorization was blank.