The government rolled out a Unified Payroll Number (UPN) system that will accurately monitor payslips across state agencies - in changes aimed at taming the wage bill in President William Ruto's regime.
Through the Head of Public Service, the government adopted the unique identifier system that would share Human-Resources related data, including payroll information.
The system allows relevant government authorities to monitor statutory payments in the public sector, making it easier to analyse, reconcile and weed out non-compliance.
Government employees will be issued one identifier during their tenure in the public service to prevent double allocation of payroll numbers and inaccurate compensation.
The system also aims at curbing the issue of ghost workers, which has been a recurring menace across county governments.
In a circular sent by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) notifying all teachers about adopting the system, the commission's boss noted that the number would be indicated on the employee's payslip alongside the employment number.
"To this end, TSC has issued all its employees including teachers (on its payroll) with a UPN number. Both the TSC/EmpIoyment number and the UPN referred to as payroll Number on the T-Pay System, are indicated on the Employee’s Pay slip," the statement read in part.
UPN was part of the recommendations proposed in the Capacity Assessment and Rationalization of the Public Service (CARPS) Report 2015, which suggested that each civil servant be granted a permanent identity number.
President Ruto has been keen on streamlining essential services for effective accountability.
On June 30, 2023, the head of state provided Kenyans with a unified pay bill number, 222222, to access government services. He added that the move would curb the multiple-pay bills whose funds cannot be accounted for.
"I am going to be making an announcement here that in the next 90 days, all other pay bills must be shut down because we have a problem with some of the PayBills that we cannot account for. We have close to over 1,000 PayBills some of which we don't have sight of. They must now be closed," he stated.
He instructed the Treasury that funds should be directed to the respective ministries once they are remitted to the channel.
"All government money will be paid through 222222 directly to the Treasury and then the Treasury will make sure that that whole eco-system works. If there is money going to a particular ministry, the Treasury will ensure that the cash goes to the respective ministry and agencies," Ruto added.
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