Felix Koskei Proposes Law to Protect Public Servants from Political Interference
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has called for the enactment of a law or policy designed to shield public servants from political interference.
During an address at the Kenya School of Government in Lower Kabete, Nairobi, Koskei stressed the necessity of maintaining neutrality and non-partisanship within the public sector.
“We are diligently working towards ensuring independence of the public service from political influences. Public servants must remain impartial and unbiased. Let’s remain focused on advancing the government agenda for economic rejuvenation,” Koskei stated.
Koskei’s proposal reflects the government’s dedication to fostering an impartial and efficient public service that prioritizes transparency and citizen satisfaction.
He emphasized this commitment by launching the ‘Customer Service Excellence Training Framework for the Public Service,’ aimed at transforming the mindset of public servants towards efficient, transparent, and citizen-centric service delivery.
“All public servants should undergo training that emphasizes citizen-centered service delivery. We must eradicate corruption and other detrimental practices that hinder effective service provision and commit to serving the people,” Koskei urged.
Moses Kuria, the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management, supported Koskei’s sentiments, highlighting the Customer Service Excellence (CSE) Training Framework as a vital step towards enhancing service quality across the public sector. Kuria noted that the framework would equip public servants with essential skills to deliver high-quality services, marking a significant shift from traditional practices to a more proactive and customer-focused approach.
“This Framework marks the moving from business-as-usual lethargic public service to a workforce that will positively impact this nation and which sets standards of distinction in customer service delivery in the region, continent, and globally,” Kuria emphasized.
Kuria announced plans to seek Cabinet approval to make Customer Service Excellence Training mandatory for all public servants, ensuring consistent service delivery standards across the board.
“All staff members across all cadres in the public service should enroll for the Customer Service Excellence and Huduma Quality Standard Training to achieve uniformity in public service delivery in the shortest time possible,” he said.
Amos Gathecha, Principal Secretary of the State Department for Public Service, highlighted the success of Huduma Centres, which serve 60,000 Kenyans daily. In 2023, these centres served 13 million Kenyans, with numbers expected to rise to 15 million by December 2024.
Kuria announced plans to convert all Huduma Centres into digital hubs equipped with free Wi-Fi to facilitate access to digital jobs. He also revealed investor interest in expanding the Huduma model through public-private partnerships, with the first ‘Huduma Express’ facility to be launched at Two Rivers Mall, Nairobi.
Kuria unveiled plans to upgrade the Kenya School of Government into a centre of excellence, including establishing the Global Centre on Adaptation Africa headquarters in Nairobi. This initiative follows an agreement reached at the COP28 conference in 2023, with the ground-breaking for the GCA Africa Headquarters taking place on March 1, 2024, and completion expected by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Further plans include constructing 50 presidential villas and a clubhouse for visiting dignitaries and guests at the Kenya School of Government.
The launch event was attended by notable figures including Chairperson of the Kenya School of Government Council, Justice (Rtd.) Charles Nyachae, Acting Director General of the Kenya School of Government Prof. Nura Mohamed, Acting CEO of Huduma Kenya Mugambi Njeru, Kenya School of Government Council members, and other distinguished guests.
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