Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku/ FILE
Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku has said the government's ongoing Public Service reforms are anchored on the Constitution and aimed at improving efficiency, accountability and access to services for Kenyans.
Speaking during a public engagement session hosted on his social media platforms, Ruku said the reforms are guided by Articles 10 and 232 of the Constitution, which outline the national values and principles of governance as well as the values and principles of public service.
He said the government is working towards building a modern, efficient and citizen-centred public service that responds to the needs of wananchi while ensuring prudent use of public resources.
"The Constitution places the citizen at the centre of public service. Our responsibility is to ensure every Kenyan receives quality, timely and accessible government services regardless of where they live," Ruku said.
As part of efforts to strengthen accountability and public participation, the Cabinet Secretary announced that he will hold weekly online public engagement forums to give Kenyans an opportunity to raise concerns, seek clarification and propose ideas on improving government service delivery.
He said the engagements will enable the ministry to receive direct feedback from the public and identify areas that require improvement.
"We want to hear directly from wananchi because public service must be responsive to the people it serves. Their views will help us continuously improve the quality and efficiency of government services," he said.
Ruku said expanding access to government services remains one of the ministry's key priorities, revealing plans to increase the number of Huduma Centres across the country.
According to the Cabinet Secretary, the government intends to establish 290 Huduma Centres, with the long-term goal of ensuring every constituency has at least one centre where residents can conveniently access public services.
He said the expansion is expected to reduce the time and cost citizens incur when seeking government services while promoting efficiency and equitable access.
The CS also highlighted reforms targeting human resource management in the public service, including digitisation of government systems, strengthening performance management and the ongoing payroll audit.
He said the payroll audit is intended to enhance accountability, eliminate irregularities and safeguard public resources.
According to Ruku, the ministry has made progress in strengthening governance systems and improving service delivery by embracing technology and modernising public service operations.
He reiterated that public servants are expected to uphold constitutional principles, including professionalism, accountability, impartiality and efficient use of public resources.
On youth employment, Ruku said the ministry is finalising a national internship policy that will provide a harmonised framework for recruiting, placing and managing interns across the public service.
He said the policy is expected to create more internship opportunities for young people while strengthening human capital development within government institutions.
