Saturday, October 05, 2013

Kenyan President Warns Public Servants

Kenyatta warns public servants

October 4, 2013

NAIROBI. — President Kenyatta has put on notice incompetent public servants warning that they will be identified and sent packing.
He warned that his government was developing a system for rewarding public servants who deliver while punishing non-performers.

Speaking when he presided over the signing of performance contracts for cabinet secretaries yesterday in Nairobi, President Kenyatta said public servants who deliver will be retained and promoted while non-performers will be shown the door.

“The Government expects all cabinet secretaries to ensure that in due course, performance contracts will govern the execution of every public officer’s terms of reference. The Public Service Commission will in the coming weeks complete the Framework for Rewards and Sanctions Policy for Public Officers, which form the basis for promotion and retention of public servants,” he stated

“We will be rewarding success and heavily penalising failure. Government will no longer offer refuge to loafers and joy riders,” President Kenyatta warned.

He maintained that national challenges were often caused by incompetent and corrupt public servants as opposed to “unavoidable or elemental phenomena”.

“This mediocrity lays to waste the efforts of committed, diligent and professional public servants and inflicts misery on thousands of taxpaying Kenyans,” he said.

The President challenged those charged with the management of public institutions to actively play their role in the country’s transformational agenda by deftly managing challenges and exploiting opportunities.

“Should you find yourself either unable or unwilling, you owe it to Kenya, and to your conscience, to stand aside in good faith. Our people do not expect to hear excuses instead of service delivery,” he said.

He directed cabinet secretaries to ensure that the terms of reference for all public officers are governed by performance contracts. This way, efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to Kenyans will be guaranteed, he stated.

President Kenyatta said one way of achieving the objectives of performance contracts for ministries was through Huduma Centres, which will bring together routine government services under one roof close to citizens.

“These one-stop-shops will improve access and effectiveness of Government services as well as promote accountability and customer satisfaction,” he said.

— Daily Nation.

No comments: