Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei speaks during the 2025 End-Year Public Service Reflection Dinner in Kisumu on December 7, 2025./HANDOUT
Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has issued a hard-hitting call for discipline, accountability, and accelerated delivery across all ministries, departments, and agencies, declaring 2026 the decisive year for President William Ruto’s administration.
Speaking during the 2025 End-Year Public Service Reflection Dinner in Kisumu on Saturday, Koskei praised top-performing officers but warned that the era of delays, comfort zones, and laxity in government was over.
“Tonight’s awards are not mere certificates. They are empirical proof of the standards we are establishing as the bare minimum in the Public Service,” he said.
He added, “For those who did not get an award, take it as motivation. I expect many more of you to be standing here in 2026.”
Koskei said 2025 was intentionally used to rebuild public sector governance, strengthen weak systems, and revive performance culture across government institutions.
Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, with other dignitaries at the cake-cutting session during the 2025 End-Year Public Service Reflection Dinner in Kisumu on December 7, 2025./HANDOUT
“For many years, service delivery has been slowed by habits that do not serve us well, delays, comfort zones, and the belief that things can wait until tomorrow,” he said.
He listed key reforms undertaken in 2025, including early-morning virtual meetings, nationwide sensitisation, and the reinstatement of strict leadership accountability.
A new performance framework rewarding high performers and sanctioning officers who breach ethics was rolled out to ensure fairness.
“This is not punishment for its own sake. It is about creating a Public Service where responsibility means something.”
Koskei unveiled a scorecard showing significant improvements in integrity, governance, and digital reforms. He said 79.39% of public entities achieved clean audit reports under the Zero Fault Audit Campaign, up from under 35% in previous years.
Forty-two anti-corruption sensitisation sessions reached over 5,000 senior officers.
One hundred and ninety-six MDAs submitted corruption risk assessment reports to the EACC. Thirty-four surcharge cases were filed against officers, with Sh70.5 million pending recovery.
Digitisation platforms such as FOTIMS, ePOMPMIS, and regulatory revitalisation programmes reached hundreds of thousands of public officers.
The general amnesty of 4,799 petty offenders saved taxpayers over Sh103 million.
Koskei declared 2026 the most critical year before the 2027 General Election, saying Kenyans will judge the government strictly on visible results.
“2026 cannot be a year of launching new initiatives. It must be a year of completion, consolidation, and laser-focused execution,” he said.
He instructed all institutions to create honest scorecards: “Know your gap, own your gap, and close your gap.”
Koskei added that while the President continues investing in physical infrastructure, the “hardware” of development, public servants must perfect the “software”—discipline, ethics, and a renewed service culture.
He further urged all government institutions to ensure citizens feel tangible improvements in their daily interactions with the State.
“The performance of this administration must become an undeniable truth for all citizens,” Koskei said.
