CS Ruku threatens disciplinary action on absentee public servants

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has expressed concern over what he termed poor work ethic and laxity among some public servants in the North Eastern region.

Wolfpacks endure demanding stretch as Oluoch cites growth amid setbacks Basketball

Kariobangi Sharks walking tightrope ahead of Nairobi United clash Football

Speaking to journalists at the Garissa County Commissioner’s office after an impromptu inspection of regional government offices and the Huduma Kenya service centre, the CS said the situation was deeply worrying.

Ruku arrived shortly before 8am, only to find several offices still locked, with most officers yet to report to work. By then, more than 10 members of the public were already waiting to be served.

He warned that disciplinary action would be taken against officers who fail to discharge their duties as expected.

At the time of his departure, wananchi were still waiting, with no officers available to attend to them.

“If they cannot be in the office at the right time to serve Kenyans, then they have no business continuing to be public servants. They can go and do other things,” he added.

Ruku, who was accompanied by Garissa Woman Representative Udgoon Siyad, among others, accused some public servants of complacency and failure to uphold the constitutional values governing public service.

“As a government, we were here to check whether public servants posted in the North Eastern region are doing the right thing at the right time. I had an opportunity to visit the regional offices here in Garissa and identified many public servants missing from their offices,” he said.

“It disappoints me to see that those of us who have been given work by the Government of Kenya to serve wananchi seem to be complacent and lazy,” the CS said.

“We do not seem to adhere to the spirit and intent of Article 232 of the constitution, which speaks to the values and principles of public service,” he added.

Ruku noted that under the 2016 Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual, public servants in the North Eastern region are required to report to work at 7:30am, break for lunch at 12:30pm, resume at 2:30pm and close offices at 4:30pm.

“I call upon all public servants, wherever they are, to make the effort to be at their workstations at the required time,” he said.

The CS reminded officers that the government had recently improved their remuneration packages and therefore expected better service delivery in return.

“The Government of Kenya increased salaries for all public servants in January this year. The basic salary, commuter allowance and housing allowance were all increased. Again, from July 1 this year, salaries and allowances will be increased further. There should therefore be no reason why we are not putting our best foot forward as public servants,” he said.

He emphasised that President William Ruto has consistently called for excellence in customer service and accountability in public offices, noting that officers serving in regional offices represent the Presidency and must conduct themselves accordingly.

“Public service delivery can only be excellent if all of us are committed. Commitment comes through attitude, and one of the ways to tell whether someone has the right attitude is whether they report to work on time,” he said.

“I will be taking action through the Human Resource Department because the Ministry of Public Service is basically the government’s customer care desk,” he said.

“As the minister in charge, I am going to push all those responsible to ensure officers are in the office at the right time and doing what is expected of them.”

Despite his criticism of the regional offices, Ruku praised the performance of the Huduma Kenya Centre in Garissa, noting that staff had reported on time and were efficiently serving members of the public.

“I want to commend the Huduma Centre in Garissa town. Almost all the employees were at their workstations at the required time. This is the case in many Huduma Centres I have visited across the Republic of Kenya. They should continue with the same spirit,” he said.

He also commended police officers stationed at the premises for reporting to duty on time.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

The CS’s impromptu inspection highlights persistent challenges in public service delivery, particularly in marginalised regions such as North Eastern Kenya. While Huduma Kenya centres were praised for efficiency, the poor turnout in some regional offices exposed gaps in supervision, discipline and enforcement of working hours. The incident also reflects long-standing concerns about service inequality, where citizens often endure delays despite government efforts to improve efficiency and salaries. Ruku’s tough rhetoric signals a shift towards stricter accountability measures, but sustained improvement will depend on consistent oversight, managerial reforms and addressing structural challenges affecting staffing and motivation in remote government offices.

Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku speaking to the press outside the Garissa county commissioners office. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku interacts with kenyans seeking services at the Garissa Huduma center. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO

Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku, Woman representative Udgoon Siyad and Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo at Huduma center offices./STEPHEN ASTARIKO.