President William Ruto has called for urgent reforms at the Public Service Commission (PSC), including the institutionalisation of digital systems, expanded internship opportunities and stronger performance contracting to prepare Kenya’s public service for a first-world economy.
During a meeting in State House, Nairobi, President Ruto was briefed on measures being undertaken by the PSC to make the institution more fit-for-purpose and strengthen its role in transforming Kenya’s public service.
The President emphasised the need for the PSC to move decisively away from manual and paper-heavy processes towards data-driven and automated systems.
According to Ruto, digitalisation should be fully institutionalised within the Commission to improve efficiency, enhance service delivery and create greater value for Kenyans.
“First, digitalisation must be institutionalised at the PSC in shifting the organisation away from manual and paper-heavy systems towards data-driven and automated models to increase efficiency and create value, he said
He warned that failure to modernise the institution could leave the PSC struggling to keep pace with the changing demands of public administration.
The proposed reforms are expected to support a more efficient, technology-driven public service capable of responding to the needs of a rapidly changing economy.
Ruto also directed attention to the role of young graduates in strengthening Kenya’s public service, calling for the expansion of the PSC’s internship programme.
The expansion would enable more college and university graduates to gain practical workplace experience while creating a wider pool of young professionals exposed to public-sector operations.
The President further called for improvements to performance contracting across the public service to ensure that the performance of public servants is measured against tangible outcomes.
He said effective performance measurement should focus on the impact of public servants’ work and the quality of services delivered to Kenyans.
The reforms form part of the broader push to modernise Kenya’s public administration, improve accountability and position the public service to support the country’s transition towards a more advanced and productive economy.
The emphasis on digitalisation, skills development and performance management is expected to reshape how public institutions operate while strengthening their capacity to deliver services to citizens.
