NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 26 – President Mwai Kibaki has called for quick inclusion of the Legislature and the Judiciary into performance contracting so that Kenyans could enjoy the full benefits of measured performance from the three arms of government.
Speaking during the official release of performance contracts evaluation results for public agencies, President Kibaki said that demand for accountability should not be interpreted as interference with the functions of the institutions.
“The performance and actions of any of the three arms of government has a direct bearing on the other arms. The ultimate benefits of performance management cannot be fully harnessed until the requirement for accountability for results is extended to all arms of government,” said the President.
President Kibaki further directed the Public Service Commission to start rewarding hardworking public servants and punish non performers.
He said; “I would, therefore, like to see institutions, particularly the Public Service Commission of Kenya, introducing flexibility in recruitment and promotions based on demonstrated merit not just the years served.”
Public Service Minister Dalmas Otieno said his office would implement the directive immediately.
He said: “To further improve the government’s management system, my ministry is developing a talent management system which also provides rewards for exemplary employees and sanctions for consistently poor performance. The practice here is ‘keep your eye on the ball, keep you mind on performance targets’.”
At the same time, Prime Minister Raila Odinga directed that an additional performance criterion be introduced in the next cycle of evaluation to gauge what ministries and other public institutions are doing to eliminate corruption from their ranks.
“We don’t have to wait for Transparency International to tell us which department is most corrupt; this action will ensure the fight against corruption is waged without fear or favour, irrespective of seniority, social or political status and is accorded highest priority,” he said.
The review results were suspended last year after they were reportedly leaked to some media houses before official release.
In the result released by the PM on Monday, the Attorney General\’s Office topped the overall best performing institution in the government audit. It was followed by the Ministry of Agriculture.
.
State House and Ministry of Internal Security and Provincial Administration came in third and fourth respectively.
The Ministry of Forestry and Ministry of Gender were ranked the worst performers.
The Nyayo Tea Zones emerged the best performing parastatal followed by the University of Nairobi and the Kenya Literature Bureau.
The PM warned that ministries that performed poorly would be reprimanded and disciplinary measures taken to strengthen them.
“Officers who consistently perform poorly will be required to give way to many deserving Kenyans who are seeking opportunities to serve the country. Good performers will be rewarded with promotions, merit increases and other awards,” he said.
About The Author
