More than 700 employees with Homa Bay government have been suspended until they get clearance from the county Public Service Board.
The workers were asked to go home as the board looks into the authenticity of their contracts.
The county reached the decision after a staff and payroll audit report that was undertaken by the Price Waterhouse Coopers firm.
The audit firm presented its report to Governor Gladys Wanga, who had hired it to weed out ghost employees.
The governor pledged to start an administrative and legal journey of implementing the recommendations of the report.
“Recommendations of the audit report will be done to establish an efficient and effective public service. The path may be longer but we believe in the rule of law and respect for natural justice,” Wanga said.
She said a human resource management system for the public service will be established to serve the people of Homa Bay.
The move is expected to eradicate ghost workers, address the high wage bill and save the county government unnecessary expenses.
Last week, acting chief executive officer at the county's Public Service Board Ruth Aloo wrote a letter to chief officers representing different departments to start implementing the report.
Some of those affected include 314 people whose names could not be found in the county payroll.
Another 386 people had their names in the payroll but no salary amount was allocated to them.
Aloo said the board held a meeting and resolved to dismiss all staff who have been working but not earning.
“The board met and analysed the report released by the audit firm before it arrived at the decision. The PwC recommended that all staff who have been working and not drawing salary from the county government to be disengaged from working in the county public service with immediate effect,” read part of the letter.
Aloo said the staff can seek authorisation from the board on the authenticity of their engagement with the government before being allowed back to work.
“The letter therefore is to request officers to notify the staff in your respective departments to adhere to the above directive,” the board secretary said.
The letter attached names of affected individuals and their ID numbers.
Some chief officers have already started implementing the directive.
Health Chief Officer Kevin Osuri wrote a letter to all staffers in the department to inform them that those who have been working but not earning need to seek clearance.
