GARISSA, Kenya May 7 – An early morning spot check by Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has raised concern over service delivery gaps in government offices after most public servants were found absent at 7:30am in the North Eastern Regional Offices in Garissa.
The surprise dawn visit forms part of a wider one-year accountability drive in which CS Ruku has conducted unannounced inspections across several regional government offices, including Nakuru, Nyeri, Mombasa, Embu, Kisumu, and Garissa.
The objective of the spot checks, according to the Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes, is to assess whether public servants are delivering efficient, citizen-centred services and adhering to official working hours.
However, the Garissa visit revealed what the Ministry described as a severe lapse in discipline and professionalism. Apart from one employee and security personnel stationed at the building, the majority of staff had not reported to duty by the required time.
CS Ruku noted that while issues such as lateness, absenteeism, and long queues have been gradually addressed in other regional offices following earlier interventions, the situation in Garissa represented an extreme case of neglect of duty and disregard for public service ethics.
He warned that the findings would trigger immediate administrative and human resource action aimed at restoring discipline and improving service delivery standards in the region.
The Ministry said it will institute necessary disciplinary measures against responsible officers and strengthen oversight mechanisms to ensure compliance with public service regulations, particularly in the North Eastern region.
Officials further reiterated that government offices are expected to operate strictly within stipulated working hours, stressing that continued negligence would not be tolerated as reforms in service delivery are rolled out nationwide.
