Public Servants across the country are set to undergo mandatory payroll reforms after the cabinet sanctioned immediate measures to stabilize the payroll system and tighten controls over public funds after a special audit revealed widespread irregularities in the government’s Human Resource Information System (HRIS-K) system, including unauthorized payments and compromised cybersecurity safeguards.
According to the Cabinet dispatch released today, the reforms include mandatory security certification by March 11, 2026, to ensure all system users meet required cybersecurity standards.
This is even as the government the government is set deploy forensic analytics to guide disciplinary and legal action, a governance reset of HRIS-K and full integration of a statutory deductions platform.
The Cabinet highlighted that the 2024-2025 financial year audit uncovered serious governance, integrity, and cybersecurity failures within HRIS-K.
The review identified widespread payroll anomalies relating to identity records, tax compliance and bank accounts, compounded by poor system integration and the failure of about 300 State Corporations to migrate to HRIS-K.
Of particular concern, the audit found that 720 system editors had altered more than 4.7 million payroll records without audit trails, including instances where staff edited their own records, alongside the absence of basic cybersecurity safeguards.
“Financial irregularities linked to unauthorized payments and excessive salary arrears were also detected, while weak disaster-recovery arrangements and expired ICT licenses were flagged as major risks to public funds,” reads the dispatch.
The Cabinet noted immediate stabilization measures had already been undertaken and approved the roadmap for reforms. It directed that statutory deductions be affected strictly at source across all public entities.
Further, a meeting of Principal Secretaries, accounting officers and heads of parastatals will be convened to oversee implementation.
Accounting officers have also been instructed to submit verified payroll data, fully cooperate with audits and take personal responsibility for any irregularities.
The reforms further provide for the establishment of Payroll Audit Units and urgent ICT upgrades to strengthen internal controls and safeguard public resources.
