Ghost workers targeted in Prisons digital listing

 Ghost workers will be weeded out during the 10-day countrywide digital listing of Kenya prison officers, Nyanza regional prison commander Nicholas Emaase has said.

President Uhuru Kenyatta on April 2 directed the listing of the Kenya prisons and civil servants.

Kibos and Kodiaga prisons started the exercise on Tuesday.

Emaase said all prison wardens are required to be available for the exercise. 

Nearly 5,000 ghost workers were removed from the National Police Service payroll during the police listing.

Nyanza has six counties – Kisii, Kisumu, Nyamira, Migori, Homa Bay and Siaya – with maximum, medium and women prisons.

The officer in charge of Kodiaga prisons Hassan Wafula said the listing will ascertain the number of officers on the payroll.

The officers are required to present national identity cards, certificates of appointment, confirmation certificates, and Kenya Revenue Authority PIN.

"It is a good exercise as it will enable the government to know the exact number of officers and workers in the prison department," he said.

Kodiaga prison has 488 officers. Medium and women prisons have 155 and 140 respectively.

There are about 65 officers at the regional prison's office. Kodiaga maximum prison has 2,290 inmates,  450 of them at medium prison and 110 at women prison.

Uhuru said in April that the police listing saved the country Sh148 million in monthly wages. This translates to Sh1.8 billion saved annually.

The force had 1,447 ghost workers in Kenya Police, 1,048 in the Administration Police and 153 in the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

The police registration has details such as a police officer’s biometric data, certificate of appointment, national identity card details, Kenya Revenue Authority PIN, family background, academic qualifications, rank and service history.

The listing is part of police reforms announced last year by the government. Ghost workers have drained the coffers of government, parastatals and some private companies.