Simba Vows to Leave No Stone Unturned on Ghost Workers, Amidst Intense Senate Scrutiny

By Elizabeth Angira

Kisii County Governor Simba has made a firm commitment to address the issue of ghost workers, amidst intense scrutiny from the Senate.

The Senate County Public Accounts Committee grilled Arati regarding the manipulation of the payroll, which has resulted in the county government struggling with an annual wage bill of Sh5.7 billion.

During an inspection of the roads in Nine constituencies,  Arati emphasized his determination to thoroughly investigate the matter of ghost workers, despite facing intense scrutiny from the Senate.

He urged his critics to refrain from engaging in political maneuvers while he focuses on streamlining the county’s operations.

“Am now focusing on how to develop the county , am no longer listening to cheap politics,”he said.

Arati criticized those who engage in cheap politicking, arguing that such behavior has hindered the county’s development.

He stated that it is time to shift the focus from politics to development issues.

In 2022, a forensic audit conducted by the Institute of Human Resource Management revealed a total of 1,314 ghost workers in the County.

The audit report highlighted various anomalies, including the identification of these ghost workers, irregular payment of Ksh 48.7 million in allowances, the use of fake academic documents, fraudulent claims of being Persons With Disabilities (PWDs) with forged certificates, sharing of payroll numbers and bank accounts, altered birth dates, and duplicate identification numbers, among other discrepancies.

He lauds the residents for voting for him, also he urged elected leaders in the Wards, constituencies and the county to forget their political differences and work together to uplift the lives of residents.