The Auditor General’s report for the financial year 2021-2022 has revealed discrepancies in the pay roll of Kira Municipality, resulting in underpayment and over-payment of staff and salaries.
According to the Auditor General’s report, an individual used falsified documents from the Education Service Commission, earned over Shs7 million in a year, and has been on pension for seven years.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has grilled government officials over payroll discrepancies. PAC members tasked officials with explaining the whereabouts of the responsible members.
“So when staff is posted to your municipality, do you conduct verification or do you simply accept whoever is sent to you?” Gilbert Olanya, the committee chairperson, queried.
Patrick Isingoma Hoima, East Division Member of Parliament, demanded that the individuals mentioned in the report be followed up to face legal action.
“It is common knowledge that such persons should be reported; you have to pursue this case and help us stop such tendencies; otherwise, it will keep repeating itself,” Isingoma said.
The officials were also quizzed on the delayed access of newly recruited staff to the pay roll that led to the underpayment of 3.1 million shillings. Together with the delayed removal of retired staff from the payroll, this angered the MPs, who castigated the officials for laxity.
The government lost 33 billion shillings in payroll irregularities in the last financial year, 2021-2022. Part of the money was paid to ineligible teachers, overpaid in salaries and pensions, and in some other instances, paid to retired, transferred, dead, or staff who absconded.