Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has cautioned government institutions against engaging in unnecessary power struggles, saying the growing conflicts between some state agencies are slowing down service delivery and delaying the implementation of key government programmes.
Speaking during the inaugural National Productivity and Performance Conference 2026 at the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi on Wednesday, Koskei said public institutions should focus on working together instead of competing over responsibilities.
He noted that whenever agencies disagree over their mandates, dialogue should take precedence to ensure Kenyans do not suffer because of disputes within government.
“We should not be having a scenario where government institutions are fighting each other, which derails service delivery. Where there are overlaps or misunderstandings, we should engage and amicably resolve the issues,” Koskei said.
These statements come at a time when there have been complaints about the overlapping of mandates among certain government departments. It has been cited as the cause of slowness in decision-making as well as the delivery of public services.
Koskei appealed to all leaders in the public sector to ensure that the issue of collaboration takes center stage. This can be achieved by finding effective means of ensuring that productivity levels are improved and without compromising on the prudent use of public resources.
According to him, government departments have a common role of providing efficient public services and contributing to the developmental agenda of the country. Collaboration is therefore necessary if the two objectives are to be realized.
This particular conference was attended by senior government officers who had gathered to share ideas and come up with recommendations on how best to improve public service delivery.
Chairman of the Public Service Commission, Francis Meja, pointed out that the provision of better public services requires a focus on improving the capacity of public service providers themselves.
“Human capital is still the greatest asset in an organization. For us to achieve greater efficiency in service delivery, we will have to continually invest in building competency, creating good organizational culture, and making sure that public servants have the right skill sets to meet the emerging demands,” said Meja.
He explained that cultivating an organizational culture that is innovative and change-focused can bring about efficiency in the public service.
