Parliamentary committee raises concerns over staffing practices at KUTRRH

A parliamentary committee has raised concern over the management of human resources at Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH), pointing to a pattern of staff being retained beyond the mandatory retirement age and officers serving in acting positions for prolonged periods.

The Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture (PIC-SSAA), led by Emmanuel Wangwe, flagged the hospital’s decision to keep retired staff on the payroll in violation of its own policy.

The issue came to light during the review of the hospital’s audited accounts from 2020/2021 to 2023/2024.

According to the Auditor-General’s report, more than Sh20.8 million was paid to individuals who had surpassed the official retirement age of 60.

This went against Section 14.3.2 (a) of KUTRRH’s Human Resource Policy and Procedures Manual dated October 2019, which clearly sets the retirement age at 60.

"The hospital appears to have disregarded its own human resource policy by keeping retirees on the payroll. This raises serious accountability concerns," said Emmanuel Wangwe during the committee’s session on Wednesday

When questioned, the hospital’s management said no one currently in service is above the retirement age.

It explained that the individuals mentioned by the Auditor-General had originally been employed by Kenyatta University and were later absorbed by the hospital to help with its early operations.

"There are currently no employees above the mandatory retirement age of 60 years. The employees referred to by the auditor were engaged on contract and were initially part of Kenyatta University, supporting the hospital’s operationalization," the hospital management stated.

The Director of Human Resources acknowledged that the retention of retired staff did occur, and said it was a decision made to maintain continuity during the hospital’s formative period.

"It was indeed an irregularity. However, during the operationalisation phase, the board found it prudent to retain individuals who were familiar with the hospital’s establishment," she told the lawmakers.

She further stated that measures have since been introduced to ensure the policy is now being followed.

These include issuing three-month advance notices to employees nearing retirement, offering pre-retirement training, and giving clear communication on contract expiry dates.

KUTRRH CEO Dr. Zeinab Gura Roka said the matter had been addressed, and those who had exceeded the retirement age were no longer in service.

"It was a case of non-compliance, and we acknowledge it went against Section 14.3.2 (a) of our HR policy. The issue has now been addressed," she said.

In addition to retirement age concerns, the committee also questioned the prolonged appointment of staff in acting capacities, which it said undermined proper governance and accountability.

Kenyan law allows acting appointments to last no more than six months.

MPs emphasized that allowing individuals to hold acting positions indefinitely goes against the principles of transparency, merit-based appointments, and good management in public service.

They called on KUTRRH to adhere to all staffing guidelines without exceptions.

The committee insisted that strict compliance with employment rules is essential, especially in public institutions where human resource practices directly affect service delivery and trust in governance.