Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has directed all government ministries, state departments and agencies to immediately ensure that their public communication channels are functional, accessible and responsive, warning that non-performing platforms must be removed from official government websites and portals.
Ruku called on human resource managers domiciled in the Ministry of Public Service to “crack the whip” and enforce accountability, saying Kenyans deserve timely and efficient services for which they pay taxes.
“If we have emails in our offices that are not working, just remove them. Kenyans send information through those emails, but there is no response. If we have telephones that are supposed to be answered and nobody responds, that is unacceptable,” Ruku said.
“I want monthly reports on public service delivery issues so that we can ensure efficiency in the public service.”
The Cabinet Secretary spoke on Thursday, January 29, during an inspection of government offices in Kisumu, where he underscored that public servants are constitutionally obligated to serve citizens diligently, citing Article 232 of the Constitution on values and principles of public service.
“Immigration, agriculture, all ministries, including those in charge of customer care desks, must remind themselves every day that Kenyans have paid for their services through taxes,” Ruku said.
“The people of Kenya demand that we report to work on time so they can plan their lives. Article 232 clearly spells out what is expected of public servants.”
Ruku singled out the State Department for Immigration for exemplary performance, praising staff in Kisumu for reporting to work early and being fully operational by 8:00 AM. He said the same discipline was evident during his inspections in Nakuru, Mombasa, Nyeri and Embu.
“By 8:00 AM, all officers at the State Department for Immigration were at their workstations. This is a culture that I have witnessed across regions, and it should be replicated in all other ministries,” he said, urging government departments to emulate the model.
However, the Cabinet Secretary expressed concern over widespread absenteeism, revealing that during a morning visit to the Kisumu Huduma Centre, fewer than 20 per cent of public servants had reported to work.
“In other state departments, below 20 per cent of officers were in the office,” Ruku disclosed, warning that continued failure to report on time undermines service delivery and public trust. He reiterated that inefficiency, unresponsive communication channels and absenteeism will no longer be tolerated, as the government moves to enforce accountability across the public service.
