The Cabinet Secretary for Information Communication Technology, Joe Mucheru, has detailed how a new technology adopted by the government has exposed tricks used by Kenyans to steal public funds.
While appearing on Spice FM's breakfast show dubbed the Situation Room on Wednesday, January 26, Mucheru revealed that the collection of biometric data exposed corrupt dealings in various ministries and state agencies.
Mucheru disclosed that the collection of biometrics within the National Police Service (NPS) exposed a number of ghosts police officers who were drawing salaries.
“I will give an example and there will be no major consequences because it is known. When we did the biometric registration of the police service we found 5,000 ghost cops,” he stated.
Additionally, he divulged that the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) was also affected stating that data revealed that some men had been documented as mothers who had delivered in hospitals.
“Even in some of the records of NHIF, some young boys were 'giving birth' because of the corruption that exists,” Mucheru stated.
During the interview, the CS stated that he was also shocked to discover that some government officials had exaggerated the number of standard one pupils who were to receive tablets from the Jubilee administration.
“I admit the first task the President gave me when I joined government was to give all our pupils in standard one laptops.
“I was given 1.3 million pupils. When we finished issuing, it was 960,000. This means there were 400,000 ghost pupils the government was paying capitation for,” the CS divulged.
Mucheru disclosed that some of the issues discovered informed the government’s resolve to undertake the Huduma Namba registration in 2019.
The CS added that the Huduma Namba project would have eased access to services for Kenyans and that citizens above the age of 18 years would automatically receive their national Identifications Cards (IDs).
However, he noted that many opposed the move because they were benefiting from the shady dealings that had been exposed.
“You think they will be sitting down and ask us to bring the Huduma Namba? They want to stop what we are doing because it is creating a lot of transparency and openness to ensure that taxpayers don't lose their money,” Mucheru added.
