Category News

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

State Department for Public Service Principal Secretary, Mrs. Mary Kimonye on 8th June, 2021 presided over the Heads of Human Resource Management and Development Units Workshop held at the Kenya School of Government, Nairobi.

The aim of the workshop was to address pertinent issues on Human Resource Management and Development affecting public service delivery and also to launch the Public Service HR Practitioners Welfare Association.

In her official opening remarks, the Principal Secretary said that Heads of HR should at all times provide appropriate Human Resource advisory to their respective Accounting Officers to ensure the smooth running of operations.

Mrs. Kimonye called on the HR heads to put in place appropriate measures that will lead to transformation in delivery of public services by focusing on performance management and measurement.

During the workshop, Public Service HR Practitioners Welfare was launched whose objectives are to ;

1) Foster and encourage cohesiveness of the HR Professional leaders and promote welfare activities amongst its members.

2) Organize for celebrations of distinguished service of the retiring principal members.

The HR heads were urged to continue ensuring the implementation of Government directives on issues such as mental health of public officers; the Big Four Agenda, the fight against corruption and improvement of service delivery to the citizens.

“I wish to reiterate that it is the responsibility of the Heads of HR to ensure full implementation of policies and regulations affecting staff in their respective MDAs, ” said the Principal Secretary.

On his part, the Chairman of the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM), Mr. Joseph Onyango who was present commended the officers for the role they play in management of human resource at their respective departments.

By Jacqueline Kirimi

Chief Administrative Secretary Hon Beatrice Elachi held an inspection tour of Mombasa County Huduma Centre on 9th June, 2021 to assess its level of service delivery to Wananchi.

The one-stop shops spread across the 47 counties have provided a platform where Kenyans are easily accessing various Government services under one roof hence making it cheaper, efficient and effective.

“As a Government, we are proud of the Huduma Kenya Programme which is one of its kind in Africa and beyond, we commit to ensuring that we do everything possible to better the Programme for the benefit of Wananchi.” said Hon. Elachi.

Prior to touring the Huduma Centre, the CAS held a courtesy call meeting with Mombasa County Commissioner Mr. Gilbert Kitiyo who briefed on Huduma Centre status and other National Government programmers within Mombasa County.

The CAS was accompanied by Huduma Kenya CEO, Mr. James Buyekane among other officials.

By Brian Were

8th June, 2021: Public Service and Gender Chief Administrative Secretary Hon. Beatrice Elachi on 8th June presided over the official opening of Huduma Kenya Service Leaders Workshop in Mombasa.

The 4 day workshop brought together centre managers and Huduma service leaders drawn from different Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies and institutions that provide services in Huduma Centres across the Country.

In her address, Hon. Elachi said that Huduma Kenya will continue to provide services to all Kenyans more efficiently and effectively.

“I would like to invite your commitment to Public Service Delivery, to keep engaging, resolving and innovating so as to build back better in terms of your role as the key drivers of Public Service Delivery in the Huduma Kenya Service Delivery Programme, ” said Hon. Elachi.

The containment and mitigation measures put in place by the Ministry of Health due to COVID-19 necessitated a rethink of the operations of the Public Service. This led to the adoption of new approaches and innovations to Service Delivery such as virtual meetings, remote working, and Service by Appointment at Huduma Centres.

Through the Huduma Kenya Service Delivery Programme the Government has changed the narrative for Public Service Delivery by setting high-quality standards to ensure the entire Public Service operates professionally, transparently, efficiently and is accountable to the citizens.

On his part, Huduma Kenya Secretariat CEO Mr. James Buyekane noted that despite challenges brought about by COVID-19, Huduma Kenya has continued and will continue to find better ways of providing services to Wananchi efficiently.

Currently, Huduma Kenya provides over 130 services in 52 Huduma Centres spread across the Country.

The services include; issuance of initial 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 and Search of business names among others.

By Brian Were

Public Service and Gender Cabinet Secretary, Prof. Margaret Kobia, alongside her Industrialization counterpart Hon. Betty Maina, on 4th June, 2021 attended the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) celebration event of the newly elected first female Chairperson of the KEPSA Board, Ms. Florah Mutahi.

Addressing the participants, Prof. Kobia said that it is encouraging to see women breaking the barriers and taking up leadership positions across all sectors.

Public Service and Gender Chief Administrative Secretary Hon. Beatrice Elachi urged the women to be bold and courageous and strive for leadership positions.

Present at the event were, Correctional Services Principal Secretary, Hon. Zainab Hussein, ICT Principal Secretary, Hon. Esther Koimet among others.

By Jacqueline Kirimi

The Ministry of Public Service and Gender has committed to support women in the Bodaboda industry.

Presiding over the launch of a training program of more than 100 women aspiring to be bodaboda operators in an event held in Kawangware on 4th June, 2021, Chief Administrative Secretary, Hon. Beatrice Elachi, urged the women to take pride in the male dominated industry and become self reliant.

Hon. Elachi assured the women of the Ministry’s support before and after the training which was organised by the Bodaboda Association of Kenya in collaboration with MOGO, a Bodaboda loans lender in Kenya.

By Brian Were

Chief Administrative Secretary, Hon. Rachel Shebesh, on 26th May, 2021 presided over a workshop on “The Strengthening of the Capacity of Law Enforcement Agencies at the Regional Level” which was held in Nakuru town.

In her address, Hon. Shebesh noted that the prevalence of Gender Based Violence and harmful practices is of great concern.

She highlighted the need to engage all stakeholders in addressing GBV by having an understanding of the common duty to protect all citizens – women, men, boys and girls – from harm.

She noted that no institution is an island and that cooperation and consultations are key to ending GBV. “We are focusing on strengthening coordination between duty bearers in measures aimed at eradicating all forms of Gender Based Violence in Kenya by 2030,” she said.

Hon. Shebesh urged the participants to ensure that the four key objectives are appreciated which include, increased access to quality and comprehensive response and support services across sectors; improved coordination and sustainability for effective programming for GBV prevention and response; progressive enforcement of laws and policies towards prevention of GBV and the elimination of social cultural norms that affect women and girls.

The Chief Administrative Secretary pointed out that successful implementation of the activities of the strengthened and sensitized duty bearers, rights holders and County GBV Working Groups will contribute to the elimination of all forms of gender based violence, inequality and discrimination.

“I call upon all to critically participate and internalize the strategies that we are discussing today. It is important to remember that outcome of this workshop will enable the smooth coordination of actions by all players including state and non-state actors in the implementation of our policies on eradication of GBV,” she said.

By Jacqueline Kirimi