No more promotions for just showing up - Ruto orders merit-only hiring in state jobs

“It is our expectation that all public service recruitment commissions hire on merit, fairness and transparency so that only the most competent get the opportunity to serve,” he said.

The President stressed that career advancement in the public sector should be based on results rather than years of service.

“Promotion at work must be based on demonstrated results, never on mere longevity. Let advancement be the consequence of contribution,” he said.

Ruto tasked the Public Service Commission with ensuring that constitutional values become the standard across all public offices.

“To entrench this culture across the public service, I task the Public Service Commission to ensure that the values enshrined in Article 10 and 232 of the Constitution become the living standard of every public office,” he said.

He warned that poor performance would not be tolerated, while exceptional work would be recognised and rewarded.

“We will reward performers and innovators, and we will sanction non-performers without apology,” he said.

The President said the government remains committed to strengthening the public service through merit-based systems that unlock the potential of employees and improve service delivery.

“We are committed to upholding merit, fairness, and transparency in our Public Service. By firmly embedding these principles into hiring and promotion processes, and rewarding performance and innovation, we will unleash the immense talent and expertise in our workforce,” he said.

Ruto also linked the country’s development ambitions to investments in human capital, saying skilled and disciplined workers are essential for national progress.

“No nation can rise higher than the collective skills, discipline, and diligence of its people,” he said.

He noted that Kenya must continuously equip its workforce with new skills to remain competitive in a changing global economy.

The President said the government is prioritising specialised training in research, science and technology to produce the human capital needed to drive productivity and national transformation.

He said the approach mirrors the development path taken by countries such as South Korea and Singapore, which placed education at the centre of economic growth and transformation.