The Ministry of Education will conduct a fresh physical headcount of public servants as part of a wider investigation into a suspected Sh6.2 billion payroll fraud that has implicated 84 human‑resource officials across three government institutions.

The State Department for Basic Education has directed every employee to report to Jogoo House between Monday and Wednesday, bringing their original national identity card, KRA PIN certificate, first appointment letter and current appointment letter.

The headcount will include staff on sick, maternity, paternity, annual or other authorised leave, as well as those hospitalised, ensuring no employee is exempt from verification.

Secretary of Administration James Kianda warned that any employee who fails to undergo the verification risks having their salary stopped, describing the exercise as urgent and mandatory.

Staff who transferred from the Teachers Service Commission must present the appointment letter issued by the ministry, while newly appointed Quality Assurance and Standards Officers will use the same document as both first and current appointment letters.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations report linked 84 HR officials to the fraud involving the Kenya Prisons Service, Kenya Police Service and Ministry of Health, and that those officials have been ordered to step aside for 30 working days.

The Ministry of Public Service has deployed its own HR officers to temporarily take over the duties of the suspended officials to avoid disruption to government operations.

Investigators have uncovered irregularities such as civil servants listed as hired before birth or before turning 18, multiple salaries paid into a single bank account, and payments to individuals without valid bank details.

The Cabinet, in June, directed the DCI to investigate the payroll fraud, verify personal numbers used in salary processing, dismantle criminal networks, recover lost funds and ensure arrests and prosecutions, while also approving a government‑wide audit and migration to a new Integrated Human Resource and Payroll System.