All posts by Mopsyga

State Department for Public Service Principal Secretary, Mrs. Mary Kimonye on 14th July, 2021 held a meeting with a delegation from Kenyatta University led by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Paul Wainaina to discuss the possibility of establishing a Huduma Centre at the Kenyatta University Uni-City.

In her remarks, Mrs. Kimonye said that the establishment of a Huduma Centre at the Uni-City will be helpful to Kenyatta University students and staff as well as the people living within the locality.

“This idea is noble as it will enable the citizens within this location to receive government services without having to travel long distances to access the services,” she said.

Mrs. Kimonye also emphasized on the need to partner on various innovations that are helpful in improving public service delivery. Huduma centres are one stop shops that provide essential government Services to citizens across the 47 counties in the country.

Services offered at Huduma Centres include ; Issuance of Identity Cards, Issuance of Duplicate Identity Cards, Issuance of Birth Certificates, Assessment of Stamp Duty and franking of documents, Application for Access to Government Procurement Opportunities, Registration of Self-Help Groups and CBOs, Registration of Welfare Societies, Registration of Business Names, Registration of Limited Companies, Issuance of Police Abstract, Issuance of Police Clearance Certificate, NSSF member registration, NHIF member registration among others.

The Principal Secretary was accompanied by Huduma Kenya CEO, Mr. James Buyekane among other Ministry officials.

By Brian Kochwa

On 10th July, 2021, the Ministry in partnership with the University of Nairobi and various stakeholders launched a Gender Statistics for Evidence-Based book by University of Nairobi.

The book highlights key findings and policy recommendations on women’s health, Gender Based Violence and women economic empowerment. The data provides an analysis of reporting of sexual violence among female survivors in Kenya and media framing of intimate partner femicide in mainstream print media in Kenya.

Speaking during the launch, State Department for Gender Director for Policy and Research, Ms. Verity Mganga, noted that gender data is a bedrock of evidence-based decision making without which policy makers and government would be unable to create informed policies.

UN Women Country Representative, Ms. Anna Mutavati, highlighted the role of UN Women in implementing the women count programme that seeks to support the implementation and monitoring of gender-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through promoting the development of an enabling framework for better production and use of gender statistics.

University of Nairobi Vice Chancellor, Prof. Stephen Kiama, discussed a holistic approach to gender data. Prof. Kiama’s speech was read on his behalf by Prof. Enos Njeru, Principal, College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

“The role of gender data and statistics is very important in formulating the manual for policy, we have all the stake holders in this room for a holistic approach, we cannot talk about women empowerment without empowering the men,” he said.

The study established that there is need for policy relevance towards enhancing access to Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) services among women and girls; having an enabling environment within the SRH service providers centers which will act as a driver in pulling women and girls to seek the services.

It was recommended that rescue centers be established in all counties to encourage reporting from the survivors.

By Catherine Kamau

Kenya bagged three awards during the 8th Continental Africa Public Service Day celebration that was held in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe on 23rd June 2021. The awards included Best Pavilion; 1st Runners Up, Service By Appointment by Huduma Kenya; and 2nd Runners Up, Government Performance Contracting Information System.

While receiving the Huduma Kenya award, Huduma Kenya CEO, Mr. James Buyekane noted that there was a need to leverage technology to enhance public service delivery in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and hence the reason the institution developed the Service By Appointment innovation.

“We have 52 centres across the country that serve up to 50,000 citizens which causes crowding. In the wake of the pandemic, we had to devise a strategy to reduce crowding through enabling customers to book appointments on their mobile phones, online platforms and through the Huduma Contact Centre,” he said.

The benefits of the Service by Appointment technology include; reduced congestion and strict adherence to physical distancing in Huduma Centres; order in service delivery where one receives service as per booking; enhanced customer satisfaction with the improved turnaround time; and savings by citizens because of the reduced number of visits to the centres and visiting the centres at their convenience.

Huduma Kenya’s Service by Appointment was acknowledged as a noble innovation that should be replicated in other African countries in order to ensure continuity of public service delivery amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Naomi Moraa

Chief Administrative Secretary, Hon. Rachel Shebesh yesterday presided over the disbursement of Affirmative Action Funds Cheques worth over KES. 30M from Uwezo Fund and the Youth Enterprise Fund to Youth, Women and Persons with Disabilities in Taita Taveta County.

Hon. Shebesh who was in a working tour monitored and evaluated various Ministry programmes in the County. She held a meeting with Taita Taveta County Commissioner, Mrs. Rhoda Nyaboke. The key highlights in their discussions was the uptake of Affirmative Action Funds and sensitisation of the public the Funds.

She urged the beneficiaries to invest their loans in profit making enterprises in order to improve their livelihoods.

Hon. Shebesh was accompanied by Taveta MP Hon. Naomi Shaban and Taita Taveta County Commissioner Mrs. Rhoda Nyaboke among other Government officials.

By Catherine Kamau

Chief Administrative Secretary for Gender, Hon. Dr. Linah Jebii Kilimo on Tuesday 23rd, June 2021 presided over the International Widows Day. The event which is commemorated annually was held in Gatanga Catholic Church, Murang’a County.

Taking cognizance of the integral role widows play in single-handedly fending for their children and raising their families, Hon. Dr. Jebii noted that over the years, most of the widows have suffered in silence, struggled with depression and financial constraints.

“Widows are susceptible to losing their right to property inheritance and are sometimes forced out of their homes and communities. These are injustices stemming from entrenched patriarchy. It diminishes the value of widows and hinders development,” she said.

The theme of this year’s International Widows Day is “Highlighting the disproportionate suffering of widows as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic”.

The Chief Administrative Secretary commended the widows for their resilience and determination during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hon. Kilimo urged the audience to be privy to the plight of widows and to endeavour to protect their rights.

Globally, it is estimated that there are 258 million widows and nearly one in every ten live in extreme poverty. Widows also suffer from various forms of human rights violations including stigmatization, ostracism, homelessness, ill health and discrimination both in law and custom.

Equal rights for men and women, equal protection of property rights for men and women and equal rights within marriages are provided for within the Constitution of Kenya. In order to give full effect to these non-discrimination provisions, the Constitution also provides legislative and other measures, including Affirmative Action programs designed to address marginalised groups.

By Catherine Kamau

State Department for Public Service Principal Secretary, Mrs. Mary Kimonye has urged Africa to embrace her diverse culture  and arts industry as a means of employment creation and social integration. 

The Principal Secretary made the remarks during the 4th session of the ongoing Africa Public Service Day celebrations in Zimbabwe. The session discussed how to achieve inclusivity through harnessing Arts and Culture as instruments to inform, market and build capacity for effective and efficient service delivery. 

“Culture and arts speak to the inner being and shape character. To this end, we should have cultural activities across our countries to build stronger ties and exchange ideas. Culture and arts are a cure to unemployment and we should therefore redefine employment and professionalize arts and cultural economic activities like the comedy industry, ” she said. 

Mrs. Kimonye is leading the Kenyan delegation in Zimbabwe for the 3 days event which is being held at Victoria Falls.

By Brian Kochwa

State Department for Public Service Principal Secretary, Mrs Mary Kimonye, on arrived in Zimbabwe yesterday ahead of the 8th Edition of the Continental Africa Public Service Day celebrations set to kick off today. Mrs. Kimonye was met by the Kenyan Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Amb. Stella Munyi.

In her remarks, Amb. Stella Munyi congratulated the five institutions that will be showcasing innovations in public service delivery at the Continental event that is being held at Victoria Falls.

She called on the team to fly the Kenyan flag high and put their best foot forward during the next 3 days.

The Principal Secretary who is leading the Kenyan delegation urged the team to do their best to ensure that Kenya emerges a winner.

The five institutions that will be showcasing innovations at the continental event include:

1. State Department for Public Service
2. State Department for East African Community
3. Coast Development Authority
4. Kenya Film Commission
5. Kenya Wildlife Service

By Brian Were

Chief Administrative Secretary, Hon. Beatrice Elachi, today presided over the Validation of Graduate, Diploma and Certificate courses at Kenya School of Government.

The Kenya School of Government has developed new training programs intended to address knowledge and competency required in fields that are essential in improvement of public service and realization of Government programs, especially under the present economic and social constrains.

The purpose of the workshop was to put under consideration the draft graduate and certificate level programs in the areas of knowledge and competency development namely: public finance; public sector management; diplomacy and international negotiation; and decentralization including devolution, state corporations management and national leadership.

By Jacqueline Kirimi

State Department for Public Service Principal Secretary, Mrs Mary Kimonye on 14th June held a meeting with a team drawn from 7 institutions who have been identified to represent Kenya during the forthcoming Continental Africa Public Service Day (APSD) celebrations to be held in Zimbabwe from 21st to 23rd June, 2021.

In her address during the meeting held at Harambee House, the Principal Secretary who will be leading the Kenyan delegation noted that public service is key to the development of any country.

“You have been identified as the institutions with the best innovations. Let those countries attending the event know that Kenya has the best public service innovations across the continent,” she said.

The Continental theme for APSD 2021 is ‘Building the Africa we want through embracing an ethical culture that underpins purpose driven leadership in the context of a crisis.

Mrs. Kimonye called on the team to exercise patriotism while representing Kenya at the Continental event.

Africa Public Service Day is a continental event held by African Countries to celebrate progress and achievements made in public service delivery and to showcase innovations made to improve public service delivery.

By Brian Were

On 9th June, 2021, Chief Administrative Secretary Hon. Rachel Shebesh attended the Agro Processors, Food Marketers and Women Training of Trainers.

The workshop was organized by Kenya Private Sector Alliance to provide a good avenue for women to network with their colleagues undertaking a common agenda in agriculture value chain.

Hon. Shebesh noted that Agriculture is the main economic activity employing the highest number of Kenyans with women providing 60% of labour in agricultural production, mainly at the bottom of the production chain.

She also noted that women own less than 10% of land, which denies them access to essential means of production.

“Women labour in agricultural production is poorly rewarded since they are mostly engaged in menial activities which are not economically valued. I recognize the effort made by KEPSA to provide forums for women in business to participate in agriculture value addition process to mitigate the challenges women encounter in the Agriculture sector,” she said.

The Government has made considerable steps to support women in Agro Business through:

1. Enacting legislations and policy framework to promote women inclusion in social economic development. 2. Through the Ministry of Public Service and Gender, establishing programs to enhance women participation in social economic development. 3. Through Access to Government Procurement Opportunity (AGPO), reserving 30% of all government tenders for women, youth and persons living with disabilities. 4. Signing several international and regional treaties to open market opportunities for Kenyan product, among them the African Continent Free Trade Area Agreement and The EAC common trading regime which provide wide trading space for women in Agro-processing and food marketing for women traders. 5. Committing to support micro and small enterprises involved in manufacturing, and nutrition improvement of the citizens due to their large contribution to the Big Four Agenda. 6. Developing a framework to support private initiatives which contribute to government agenda, among them agro-processing which is among the investment sector which the government is supporting to create employment and reduce poverty targeting vulnerable women.

Hon. Shebesh urged women entrepreneurs in Agro Processing and Food Marketing to be innovative and position themselves strategically to exploit the opportunities provided by the government during the distribution of COVID-19 pandemic economic stimulus funds.

By Jacqueline Kirimi