State to launch app to track public servants in October – CS Ruku

Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes, Geoffrey Ruku during an impromptu visit to the Eastern Region headquarters in Embu Town/HANDOUT

Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes, Geoffrey Ruku has said that the government is in the final stages of developing a digital application to monitor the productivity of all public servants in Kenya.

Speaking during a surprise early-morning inspection at the Eastern Region headquarters in Embu Town, Ruku said the app will be launched by the end of October.

He said the platform will track key metrics such as arrival and departure times, leave status, and real-time attendance.

It aims to enhance efficiency, accountability, and transparency across all government offices.

The Cabinet Secretary said the initiative is part of a wider reform agenda targeting discipline and improved service delivery in the public sector.

“We must raise our standards in order to serve the people better. Lateness and laxity will no longer be tolerated in government offices,” Ruku said.

He described the app as a game changer in tackling absenteeism and monitoring work output.

He noted that the private sector, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, relies heavily on efficient government services, and any delay has direct consequences on economic performance.

“Most people in the private sector are already on their way to work. They understand that success requires hard work. Public servants must match that energy if we are serious about national transformation,” Ruku stated.

Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes, Geoffrey Ruku during an impromptu visit to the Eastern Region headquarters in Embu Town/HANDOUT

During his unannounced visit, the CS said he found significant disparities in punctuality.

While the Huduma Centre and the Immigration Department in Embu impressed him with early reporting, other departments, such as Lands, fell short.

At the Lands office, only one staff member and a cleaner were present by 8 am.

“We cannot condone such negligence. Public officers must take responsibility,” the CS asserted.

He further called on all civil servants to strictly adhere to the Human Resource Procedures and Manual of 2016, which outlines expected standards of professionalism, ethics, and performance.

He warned that the government will take a tougher stance on lax attitudes that compromise service delivery.

Ruku warned that disciplinary measures will continue until full compliance is achieved.

“We cannot demand respect from the citizens we serve if we are not disciplined ourselves,” he said.

The CS also urged residents who had applied for passports at the Eastern Regional Office in Embu to collect them, noting that a significant number remain unclaimed.

He also called on citizens to pick up their National ID cards, many of which remain uncollected at the Embu Huduma Centre.

“This is not a one-off inspection. I will conduct more surprise checks across the country. Kenyans deserve honest, timely, and efficient service from their government,” he said.