Homa Bay County is dealing with a new payroll issue after an investigation by the Daily Nation revealed that 51 ghost medics were linked to the loss of about Sh90 million from public funds.
The report shows that these individuals received salaries from the county health department even though they were not properly serving in the roles assigned to them.
One case that stands out involves Adel Ottoman Walter, also referred to as Odhiambo Ottoman Adel Walter. He was appointed as the County Deputy Director of Health for Preventive and Promotive Services.
At the same time, he held a full-time position as a lecturer at the Kenya Medical Training College and worked part-time at the Great Lakes University of Kisumu.
Records indicate that between June 2016 and August 2021, when payments from Homa Bay stopped, he received Sh10.9 million from the county. The investigation notes that at one point he appeared to be linked to roles in Mombasa, Kisumu and Homa Bay counties simultaneously.
Walter was among 51 people described as ghosts who together drained Sh89.6 million from Homa Bay’s coffers between 2015 and 2019. These payments continued for years before being halted.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission later took action in Walter’s case, and a court ordered him to refund the Sh10.9 million he received, finding that he had drawn public salaries without rendering corresponding services.
The findings have raised questions about payroll controls in the county health department under Governor Gladys Wanga. While some of the irregular payments date back to earlier administrations, the report highlights ongoing challenges in verifying staff and preventing losses of public money. Ghost workers have been a recurring concern in Homa Bay, with previous audits identifying larger numbers of irregular employees on the payroll.
County governments across Kenya have struggled with similar problems, where people draw salaries without performing duties or while holding multiple conflicting positions. In Homa Bay, the health sector has been particularly affected.
The latest revelations add to existing concerns about how public funds meant for medical services are managed.
Officials have not yet issued a full public response to the specific Nation findings on the 51 medics. However, the matter continues to draw attention as residents and oversight bodies seek clearer accountability for the lost money. Recovery efforts, such as the court order against Walter, show that some steps are being taken, but the scale of the earlier losses points to gaps that allowed the payments to continue for several years.
