•Investigations are ongoing to unmask those who have made life a living hell for many Kenyans, especially widows and orphans
•The department has been on the spot over grand corruption, ineptness and theft in the face of a Sh67 billion query by the Auditor General
The government is fully committed to cleaning the mess at the Pension Department, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Margaret Kobia has said.
The department has been on the spot over grand corruption, ineptness and theft in the face of a Sh67 billion query by the Auditor General.
The scathing audit report also cited laxity in ministries and state departments leading to patient claims being sent late, sometimes years after an officer has retired.
Auditor General Edward Ouko discovered that unscrupulous officials could be using loopholes in the pension management system (PMIS) to siphon off billions of shillings.
This is done through the payment of claims lumpsum to officers before they leave the office. The system does not detect claims with irregular or no KRA personal identification numbers; irregular or shared ID numbers; and shared bank accounts.
Investigations are ongoing to unmask those who have made life a living hell for many Kenyans, especially widows and orphans seeking benefits.
CS Kobia said the situation will be a thing of the past after the policy shift which introduced the self-administered pension plan.
Starting this month, workers aged 45 years and below will pay their own pension contributions at the rate of 7.5 per cent of their salaries.
PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS
Starting this month, workers aged 45 years and below will pay their own pension contributions at the rate of 7.5 per cent of their salaries.
The government will pay 15 per cent with the contributory scheme hailed as one that would relieve the government of the pension burden.
Some Sh104.5 billion has been allocated for pensions and gratuities, accounting for 13 per cent of Consolidated Fund Services’ Sh805 billion.
“It is not sustainable. We believe the contributory scheme will reduce avenues for corruption,” Kobia said, adding that the lengthy process of claiming pension will be sorted with data solutions presented by the Huduma Namba system.
The CS acknowledged receiving complaints that people are asked to pay money to get their pensions processed or to get a job slot in the public service.
“Why are people giving money to be employed? Let those with cases present them to investigative authorities.”
Kobia exuded the confidence that the spirited fight against corruption as ordered by President Uhuru Kenyatta is bearing fruit.
She said the use of eCitizen has limited the face-to-face interaction between civil servants and citizens seeking service, hence cut down bribery incidents.
Lifestyle Audit
About 80 per cent of finance officers subjected to wealth audits has returned to their various stations. Several were affected by an extensive reshuffle.
Kobia said those who cannot explain the source of their wealth are yet to return to office amid reports there are hordes of people are no longer seen in government corridors seeking contracts.
“Evidence shows there are a few who have wealth they can’t explain. The operation is working as we don’t get people coming here to lobby for tenders,” the CS told the Star in an interview.
“Those who will be found with a case to answer will be given a chance to respond,” she said adding that wealth assessment is now being done at one's entry into public service.
The CS was non-committal on when the call by Uhuru for a lifestyle audit – starting with him followed by Deputy President William Ruto, will be rolled out.
And in what may also disappoint Kenyans eager to know the worth of various government leaders and politicians, the wealth details will not be published.
Kobia said that owing to data privacy concerns, only the DCI can pull wealth detail files should someone be doubted to be living larger than his income.
“Publishing the details follows a lengthy process. The data is not for public consumption but for availability whenever there are investigations involving a public officer.”
The government over the years has never conducted a proper wealth audit, a situation that is blamed for rampant corruption by state officers.