The government has moved to tighten control over the communication and implementation of President William Ruto's directives.
A new administrative order has provided that all communications from ministries, state departments, agencies and state corporations (MDAs) go through Felix Koskei’s office.
The order makes the office of the chief of staff and head of the public service the only official channel for transmitting presidential instructions.
The directive positions Koskei’s office as the government's central clearing house for presidential directives.
Ministries and agencies are expected to implement only those instructions transmitted through the office.
The circular dated July 14 introduces a centralised communication framework.
"All presidential directives requiring implementation by ministries, state departments, agencies, state corporations, and other public entities shall, unless otherwise expressly directed by His Excellency the President, shall be communicated under the hand of the Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service," the circular reads.
Where implementation reports are required, they are to be submitted through the office as well.
It further directs all recipients to regard communication from Koskei's office as the authoritative administrative instruction for implementation.
"Recipients must treat communication from this office as the only official administrative communication of such directives for purposes of implementation," the document obtained by the Star reads in part.
The memo has been addressed to Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, accounting officers, constitutional office holders, chief executives of state corporations, independent commissions and county secretaries, parliament, and attorney general.
Agencies would be required to provide a draft of the proposed communication, with explanatory notes on the intent and application of the said circulars.
All communication from commissions and independent offices to MDAs are also to be channelled through the Head of Public Service “for onward transmission”.
“Relevant decision minutes or communication and draft circulars may be annexed for this purpose,” Koskei added.
Communications from constitutional commissions and independent advisories to target MDAs may be directly channeled accordingly, with a copy to the head of public service.
“National Treasury circulars, and statutory reports (audit, investigation, annual reports) are similarly exempt from the requirements of this directive,” the memo says.
The circular cites growing concern over the manner in which presidential directives have been reaching implementing agencies.
"It has been observed that presidential directives intended for implementation by MDAs and other public entities are, in some instances, being communicated through varied channels.”
“This has resulted in uncertainty regarding their authenticity and the appropriate course of implementation," the circular says.
The head of public service says the multiple communication channels have created room for inconsistent implementation of government decisions.
He adds that the situation risks undermining confidence in official government communication.
"This has the potential to occasion inconsistent implementation and erode public confidence in the integrity of official government communication," Koskei says in the circular.
The directive marks an attempts by State House to centralise the communication of presidential orders under a single administrative office.
Going forward, ministries, departments and agencies will no longer rely on directives transmitted through other channels unless expressly authorised by the President.
Koskei says that government has observed that circulars and other communication with policy directives of general application have been issued haphazardly.
He argues that the situation has created the possibility of duplication, conflicting instructions and uncertainty over official government policy.
The circular requires ministries and agencies seeking clarification to channel their requests through the head of public service.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the circular does not limit or affect the constitutional authority of the president to issue directives directly or through any lawful means.”
Koskei further adds that the memo doesn’t prevent constitutional commissions and independent offices from executing their mandates and engaging with MDAs.
“Its purpose is to prescribe the official administrative channel for communication intended for implementation across the public service in order to promote consistency, certainty, accountability and effective coordination of government business.”
“It is to mitigate the risks observed of duplicative or inconsistent communication being issued,” the head of public service said.
