As Kenya heads for by-elections on 27 November 2025, the Public Service Commission (PSC) has moved to set bright lines for civil servants who desire to pursue politics.
In a circular addressed to the heads of government ministries, agencies, and departments, PSC cautioned that civil servants must not engage in partisan politics and resign if they wish to contest.
The notice, signed by PSC Vice Chairperson Mary Kimonye, reminds institutions that any public official intent on contesting the by-elections will be required to resign within seven days after a corresponding seat is officially vacated.
It would be a violation of electoral law and disqualify the candidate to fail to do so, the PSC warned.
“Public officers who wish to run in the by-elections should have resigned from office within seven days of the declaration of vacancies,” states the circular.
Legal restrictions and accountability
The directive by the PSC is premised on several provisions of the law.
It quotes Section 12 (c) and (d) of the Political Parties Act (Cap. 7D), which bar public officers from political activities that will erode the impartiality of their office or openly expressing support for or against any party or candidate.
Apart from this, PSC also quotes Section 25(1) of the new Conflict of Interest Act, 2025, saying it prohibits civil servants from becoming involved in politics or acting as party agents activity that could taint their impartiality.
The commission makes it clear that offenses will be punished by disciplinary action, from suspension to outright removal from office, depending on the nature of the offense.
Institutional oversight and reporting
To ensure compliance, the PSC has instructed all ministries and state agencies to send names of employees who have resigned to compete. “You are hereby mandated to forward to the Public Service Commission the names of officers in your State Departments or Agencies who so far have tendered their resignations ” the circular states.
Senior officers are also being charged with closely monitoring staff conduct and taking prompt administrative action against any civil servant discovered to be contravening the regulations.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has scheduled by-elections for 24 constituencies or seats across the nation on 27 November.
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In a time when every contest was likely to matter, the PSC’s response is an early expression of its role to protect the political neutrality of the public service.
For prospective politicians within the civil service, the message is plain: remain in office or go into politics but do not try and straddle both.