Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has convened yet another high-stakes meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) in what is shaping up to be a critical reckoning for the public service.
The virtual meeting, according to a memo seen by the Star, is set to bring together the entire top leadership of government institutions.
In the memo dated July 24, Koskei said the session is mandatory and all Principal Secretaries, chairpersons of state agencies and CEOs of state corporations and unincorporated agencies are expected to attend.
Also expected to attend are officials chairing the various oversight and revitalisation committees within ministries and parastatals, and departmental heads from finance, audit, procurement, legal and human resource units.
According to the notice, the meeting will focus on “Improvement of Performance and Efficiency in the Public Service to Optimal Levels Through Prompt Corrective Action and Immediate Administration of Lawful Consequences for Infractions.”
The meeting comes barely a week after a similar engagement with Principal Secretaries last Wednesday.
During the meeting, concerns were raised over persistent inefficiencies and an underwhelming pace of service delivery, despite sustained policy interventions and oversight mechanisms.
Koskei lamented that even with circulars issued to guide performance standards and the establishment of the Government Efficiency Office through Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, there are still challenges that continue to hold back progress.
He cited failure to take prompt corrective action when systems underperform, and the failure to administer proportionate consequences for public officers responsible for infractions.
“These weaknesses have significantly undermined the delivery of timely, quality, and responsive services to Kenyans,” he stated.
“Indeed, they have led to sluggishness of the system with citizens complaining of a non-responsive public service that is lacking in the robustness and effectiveness required.”
This, while warning that public confidence in government institutions is eroding due to unchecked impunity, waste of public resources, and poor-quality outcomes.
“This inaction has fostered a culture of abject impunity,” it adds, “leading to the persistent recurrence of malpractice and non-performance,” said the chief of staff.
Officials have been directed to ensure not only their personal attendance but also that of critical members of their internal oversight and service delivery teams.
The aim is to agree on urgent and actionable steps to enforce discipline, instill a culture of accountability, and revitalise performance standards across all public entities.
Additionally, participants will be briefed on key ongoing government initiatives and the strategic roles expected of each agency in their successful implementation, “and the critical role required of you for these initiatives to succeed exceptionally.”
Some of the targeted campaigns launched by the government include the achievement of zero-fault audit status and productivity enhancement in the public service.
Other sector-specific interventions are compliance with and efficiency within public entities and revitalisation and re-energisation of regulatory authorities and agencies.
“All invited officers are required to register in advance through the meeting link provided on the Head of Public Service’s official website,” the notice emphasises.
The meeting signals a fresh warning shot to the public sector, as the administration moves to align service delivery with constitutional values and public expectations under Articles 10 and 232.
Solicitor General Shadrack Mose is also expected to attend the meeting.
