NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 5 – The clock is ticking for non-performers in President William Ruto’s administration after he directed a review of the performance of State ministries for the previous financial year.
The review will commence next Monday and will be based on targets set by the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for the Financial Year 2023/24.
In a circular issued to all cabinet secretaries, Head of Public Service Felix Kosgei stated that the Deputy Chief of Staff, Performance and Delivery, Eliud Owalo, will lead the two-month exercise.
“A total of 450 MDAs including State House, Office of the Deputy President, 22 Ministries, Office of the Attorney General & Department of Justice, Office of Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service, 265 State Corporations and 159 Tertiary Institutions were placed on Performance Contracts during the FY 2023/2024,” Kosgei said.
The Public Service Staff, Performance and Delivery Management Unit (PMDU) has been mandated to verify the self-evaluation done by MDAs.
The government unit will physically verify the quarterly annual achievements of the MDAs, and those who fail to submit their self-performance evaluations will be ranked as poor performers.
Various state institutions will be required to furnish PMDU with self-performance evaluation report, approved scores by specialized agencies and verifiable and documented evidence to support the reported achievements
They will also present their performance contract guidelines, signed performance contracts and approved budgets all from the last financial year.
“MDAs should ensure that the performance evaluation data is comprehensive, verifiable and accurate and that evaluation for each performance indicator reflects the actual achievement. In addition, any exogenous factor(s) that may have affected the achievement of the set performance targets should be objectively established, analysed and documented,” noted Kosgei.
“Upon completion of the moderation exercise, PSPMU will prepare a report on the performance of the MDAs in readiness for the official release by H.E. The President,” he added.
President Ruto had vowed to enforce sanctions for failure, negligence, waste, and misconduct following the signing of ministerial performance contracts.
Ruto announced that at the end of each financial year, every Cabinet Secretary will receive a performance report card reflecting their ministry’s achievements.
He emphasized that the scorecards will include recognition, rewards, and sanctions, which the Cabinet Office will apply consistently and without exception.
“This scorecard will carry recognition, rewards, and sanctions, which will [be] applied without fail. Excellence, integrity, and efficiency will [be] rewarded. Failure, negligence, and waste will invite instant corrective action,” Ruto said on Tuesday.
The President underscored that the ministerial performance contracts are not merely ceremonial but represent firm and solemn commitments to implement the government’s inclusive and transformative goals.
The President had revealed plans to make changes in his government to enhance the broad-based government agenda amidst talks of an imminent cabinet reshuffle and shake up the principal secretaries’ slots.
The President insisted he is committed to uniting the country through a broad-based government with insiders saying cabinet changes will be effected soon and new faces are set to join the ruling coalition.
Sources have claimed that the President is working on radical changes with former deputy president allies expected to be axed in the re-shuffle.
There are also reports that the government is also working on far-reaching changes in the cadre of Principal Secretaries with the Public Service Commission is expected to advertise some positions as part of the process to allow the president to make PS changes.
