Kisumu: The National Treasury will roll out an Integrated Payroll System and a Single Treasury Account by the end of this month as part of a wider public finance reform aimed at eliminating ghost workers, sealing revenue leakages, and enforcing fiscal discipline. Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi said the move will integrate salaries for all ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), and county assemblies.
According to Kenya News Agency, county executives have been given a month grace period to comply with the new directive, asking all the devolved units to migrate to the new system swiftly. Mbadi emphasized that salaries for all MDAs and county assemblies would be processed through the integrated system at the end of this month. He warned county executives against stalling and mentioned that any extension would be limited to one month.
Mbadi stated that the integrated payroll would eliminate multiple payrolls, most of which are manual, contributing to the diversion and loss of public funds. Speaking at the 4th Kenya Affordable Housing Conference in Kisumu, he noted that payroll integration is part of a broader reform agenda to reduce wastage and improve service delivery. He also confirmed the mandatory implementation of electronic procurement for all public entities, urging compliance despite resistance.
The CS addressed economic conditions, indicating signs of steady improvement. He noted positive and progressive fundamentals, including falling interest rates, which facilitate finance availability for the private sector. Furthermore, he assured the public of the government’s commitment to settling pending bills, some of which date back to 2005, urging patience and trust in the government’s reform measures.