Nyandarua Governor Francis Kimemia has frozen all county expenditure pending an audit.
Mr Kimemia has also ordered ghost workers and county staff who have been drawing more than one salary to refund the money within the next 30 days.
Addressing his first county Cabinet meeting attended by chief officers on Tuesday, the governor said it had been revealed that some county staff were earning more than one salary, stating that the planned payroll audit would expose more culprits.
“The excess salary is part of public assets I intend to recover in 30 days. The same will happen with all ghost workers,” he said.
The governor said he was aware many county officers could not be accounted for.
“There are many who cannot say what they have done for Nyandarua in the last five years they have been on the payroll,” he said.
Mr Kimemia, who was sworn in on Monday, said people must respect public resources and that inculcating the culture of honesty and professionalism should start immediately.