NAIROBI, Kenya Dec 11 – “We are being told we are on the right trajectory. But have we taken off? I think we are taxing,” said Felix Koskei, the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, as he set the tone for his remarks at the Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards gala on Tuesday evening at the Bomas of Kenya.
Koskei emphasized the urgent need for intensified efforts to transform Kenya’s public service, asserting, “I don’t think we are yet in the air. We are taxing, and we have to redouble our efforts. This country has to be transformed. We have to be professional. We have to be accountable, responsible, and drive the agenda of this administration to its fruition.”
Acknowledging the strides made so far, Koskei rallied his team to hasten progress toward their collective goals.
“I believe, with no doubt in my mind, that this is a team that will deliver this country from the yokes of poverty to prosperity. But I’m sure now we need to enhance, to hasten the speed so that the plane can take off because we are on the taxiway,” he stated.
Koskei called for a renewed focus on efficiency, effectiveness, and responsiveness, urging public servants to create a government that offers citizen-centric services.
“We are where we are because of the people of Kenya. We hold the offices we are holding on trust for the people of Kenya. We have no choice but to make Kenya a better country than the one we found,” he emphasized.
Koskei was honored with the Transformational Leadership in Public Service award, recognizing his exemplary efforts to revitalize Kenya’s public sector.
Reflecting on the state of public service when the Kenya Kwanza administration assumed office, Koskei described a system weighed down by inefficiencies, lack of accountability, and inertia.
However, he highlighted how the challenges catalyzed a visionary reform agenda spearheaded by President William Ruto.
Under this agenda, Koskei said, the government embarked on a deliberate journey to restructure and reinvent the public service, instilling principles of transparency, efficiency, and innovation.
“The aim was to make the public service agile and fit for purpose, ensuring premier service delivery for all Kenyans—qualitatively, quantitatively, and timeously,” he noted.
Koskei lauded the progress made, likening it to incremental habits that lead to transformational success.
Quoting Atomic Habits by James Clear, he stated, “Success is a product of daily habits, not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.”
