Kenyan Taxpayers Lose Over KSh 9b as Investigations Unearth 3k Ghost UHC Workers
- Investigations revealed that alleged mysterious cartels working at the Ministry of Health may have embezzled millions of shillings intended for frontline county health workers
- Reports indicate that 3,000 workers were illegally enrolled on the payroll, meaning Kenyan taxpayers lost over KSh 9 billion in the last five years
- This comes even as UHC employees demonstrated outside Afya House, pleading for the confirmation of their contracts to permanent and pensionable terms
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Japhet Ruto, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than eight years of experience in finance, business, and technology, offering profound insights on economic developments in Kenya and globally.
Shocking details about a multi-million-shilling fraud allegedly orchestrated by ghost workers under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme have surfaced within Kenya's healthcare system.
Source: Facebook
How much did Kenyan taxpayers lose?
According to press reports, mysterious cartels working at the Ministry of Health may have embezzled millions of shillings intended for frontline county health workers.
There are notable differences between the Ministry of Health's payroll and the Council of Governors' list of UHC employees, according to a confidential Ministry of Health document.
The discrepancies, as reported by Citizen TV, revealed that thousands of individuals listed as healthcare workers may either be non-existent or no longer performing the roles for which they are paid.
A report by the Daily Nation disclosed that 3,000 workers were illegally enrolled on the payroll and were paid at least KSh 1.5 million monthly.
According to investigations, taxpayers could have lost a whopping KSh 9 billion under the UHC programme since 2020.
Why is UHC under scrutiny?
The UHC programme, which was started to revolutionise healthcare in all 47 counties, is currently under close investigation.
Source: Twitter
Fraudulent payroll methods seem to have undermined the goal of equal access to high-quality care, as the names of emigrated, deceased, or inactive employees are allegedly still receiving government benefits.
This comes even as UHC employees continue to demonstrate outside Afya House, complete with music, dances, and vuvuzela blares, pleading for the confirmation of their contracts to permanent and pensionable terms.
"The Kenyan government is losing billions of shillings by paying unaccounted-for ghost UHC employees. We can only account for roughly 5,700 of the 8,700 UHC employees listed on the official roster, according to our county-level verification. About 3,000 names remain that are quite dubious," Tharaka Nithi governor Muthomi Njuki, who chairs the Council of Governors Health Committee, revealed.
What did the Ministry of Health say?
The disparities in the payroll records are acknowledged in a letter to the Council of Governors dated Wednesday, May 14, 2025, signed by Ouma Oluga, the Principal Secretary (PS) for Medical Services.
Although some UHC employees have left the company, relocated overseas, or even passed away, their identities are still listed on the payroll, according to insiders.
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"Interviews were carried out nationwide, not only in Tharaka Nithi, at the county level. Nevertheless, the payroll is handled nationally, and the people in control don't check to see if a person is still employed," Njuki added.
How much was unaccounted for on eCitizen?
In related news, during the 2023–2024 fiscal year, KSh 100.8 billion was collected using the eCitizen platform.
Auditor General Nancy Gathungu lamented the government's strong reliance on a vendor and its lack of total control over the system.
She disclosed that almost KSh 44.8 billion that had been paid using the government's online payment system was missing.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
