Archives June 2020

Chief Administrative Secretary, Hon. Rachel Shebesh conducted a two-week inspection tour of the ministry’s programs in seven counties in the Western and Central regions. In the seven counties, Ms. Shebesh visited Huduma Centres, the ‘Kazi Mtaani’ program, and the Rehabilitation of the Kisumu port and Central Kenya railway line system. At the same time, the CAS facilitated disbursement of a total of Kshs 255 Million from the ministry’s Affirmative Funds.

Her visit to Huduma Centres was meant to assess their preparedness as they plan to resume delivery of services following the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. She toured the National Hygiene program dubbed ‘Kazi Mtaani’ in the counties. Kazi Mtaani is a national initiative under the supervision of the NYS. It aims to cushion youth whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. The NYS is also engaged in the rehabilitation of the Kisumu port and the Central line of the old railway system.    

During her Western region tour, the CAS inspected operations of ‘Kazi Mtaani’ in Obunga, Manyatta, Nyalenda, and visited Kisumu Port. In Nakuru County, Hon. Shebesh inspected the ongoing ‘Kazi Mtaani’ program and disbursed over Kshs 28 million to vulnerable groups from the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF). 

In the Central region, the CAS visited NYS Tumaini field station in Nyandarua County where the NYS runs a potato seedlings production project. She called for an increase in the production of certified seedlings and provision of the same to Nyandarua farmers to cushion them during the pandemic period. 

In her discussions with the County leadership, she noted the rise of Gender-Based Violence cases during the Covid-19 period and urged the leadership to use existing National and County government’s structures to set up Gender-Based Violence (GBV) recovery facilities and safe houses to help GBV victims.

In Kiambu, Hon. Shebesh assessed the progress made with the ‘Kazi Mtaani’ project, the railway rehabilitation works in Kiandutu, Thika Town, and Kariminu, and presided over the issuance of Affirmative Action Funds worth Kshs 89 Million to various groups of Youth, Women, and Persons with Disabilities. In Murang’a County she disbursed over Kshs 57 Million. In Nyeri County, the CAS disbursed funds worth over Kshs 63 million. In Laikipia County,  she disbursed over Kshs 18 Million and challenged the residents to take advantage of the government interest friendly loans. 

She noted that the launch of phase two of ‘Kazi Mtaani’ program would provide a lifeline to 200,000 jobless youth across the country while imparting discipline and life skills under the supervision of the  NYS officers.

In all her stops the CAS interacted with the NYS servicemen and women and encouraged them to continue making their valuable contribution to national development.

The nation will next week celebrate the Africa Public Service Day on 23^rd June.

Celebrated every year across Africa, the day serves as a platform for Public Service organizations to showcase and reward excellence in the Public Service in order to promote and sustain quality in service delivery. The day was set aside by the African Union for public service organizations to reflect on the successes and challenges within the public service and ponder on plausible mitigating measures to address service delivery challenges.

Kenya has this year selected the theme: “Entrenching Good Governance: Developing Transparent and Accountable Public Institutions, which resonates with the 2020 African Union theme “Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development”. 

In line with the prevailing situation occasioned by the COVID-19 Pandemic and emerging natural disasters among them floods and locusts, the national celebrations for this year will focus on responses to these challenges.

“This year’s celebrations will be unique in that it challenges the way we deliver public services in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has forced service organizations world over to be innovative and adapt new ways of doing business,” said Prof. Margaret Kobia, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Gender, as she expressed her enthusiasm for this year’s event. She further said that, “even in the wake of challenges posed by COVID -19, continuity and sustainability of excellence in public service delivery remains a priority for government

This year’s events will focus on activities that support the vulnerable citizens in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic; environmental conservation, particularly on tree planting in line with the President’s express commitment to achieve 10%  forest cover by 2022; and recognition of public service innovations and citizen engagement.

Specific activities organized by the State Department for Public Service include donations to vulnerable members of the public, tree planting and environmental cleanup activities in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry and other stakeholders, among them county governments and National Administration. Cabinet Secretaries, Chief Administrative Secretaries and Principal Secretaries will lead their respective ministries and state departments in the tree planting exercise in various designated sites across the country.

The Nation’s Public Service sector has organized forums for Citizen engagement through a series of online interactions and public discourses led by renowned scholars and public figures.

The Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Gender Prof. Margaret Kobia, urged Public Institutions in the National and County Governments to take part in the various activities that have been planned to mark the celebrations in line with their respective mandates.

“This year provides a unique opportunity for publice service to demonstrate sensitivity to challenges facing society and to re-double our efforts in serving the citizens while adhering to ethos and principles of public service,” said the Principal Secretary for State Department for Public Service, Mrs. Mary Kimonye.

As part of the celebrations, Ministries have been requested to identify and recognize Public Service Agencies, institutions and individuals that have applied innovation and excelled in public service delivery while serving in the frontlines of Covid-19 mitigation efforts. Download PDF

See more about APSD 2019 ( African Public Service Day 2019 ) Held in Kenya.