President William Ruto has issued a strong warning to Ministers and public servants, urging them to meet the expectations of Kenyans in service delivery. He emphasized that his administration will not tolerate excuses or delays in achieving results.
Ruto made it clear that Cabinet Secretaries must take full responsibility for achieving the targets outlined in their ministry contracts, stating, “There is no room for excuses or delayed failure. Accountability must cascade through all levels of ministries, departments, and agencies to individual officers.”
The President announced that at the end of each financial year, Cabinet Secretaries will receive a performance report card reflecting their ministry’s achievements. He stressed that the scorecard system will make performance contracting a meaningful tool for driving accountability and ensuring results across all government functions.
“Excellence, integrity, efficiency, and consistency will be rewarded, while failure, negligence, waste, and misconduct will prompt corrective action,” Ruto said, reinforcing that the scorecards would carry both recognition and sanctions, applied without fail.
President Ruto made these remarks on Tuesday at State House, Nairobi, during the signing of the second-generation Ministerial Performance Contracts for the 2024/2025 financial year. He highlighted that performance contracting is designed to increase engagement and motivation among public servants while fostering greater adherence to the values and principles of the Public Service.
“I fully expect to see continuous improvement in the responsiveness, efficiency, and integrity of our officers, both collectively and individually,” President Ruto stated, urging Cabinet Secretaries to reflect on their responsibilities and commitments to the people.
He emphasized that performance contracts are not ceremonial formalities but serious commitments aimed at advancing the goals of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. The President called on Cabinet Secretaries to internalize the strategic pillars of this agenda and recognize their interconnectedness.
“These pillars define my performance contracts with the people, which I have directly executed through Cabinet Secretaries and accounting officers,” President Ruto explained.
Success of Performance Contracting
Acknowledging the long-standing success of performance contracting in enhancing accountability, the President pointed out that it has proven to be a robust framework for ensuring the effective use of public resources to meet constitutional mandates and fulfill citizen expectations.
To further support the smooth implementation of government programs, President Ruto directed the National Treasury to release budgetary allocations on time. He emphasized that a lack of funds or delays in their release should never be used as an excuse for failing to serve the people.
“This is why a Public Service Performance Management Bill is being finalized and will soon be tabled in Parliament,” Ruto announced.
Through this upcoming legislation, the President assured that the government would uphold the highest standards of service delivery at all levels. He also introduced a new office focused on Performance and Delivery Management within the Executive Office of the President. This office will help ministries, departments, and agencies address performance deficiencies and implement corrective actions promptly.
“Because overall accountability rests with me, I take this opportunity to assure you of my full support in fostering a performance-driven culture within the Public Service for faster delivery of our national transformation agenda,” President Ruto added.
By placing emphasis on accountability, efficiency, and tangible outcomes, President Ruto is attempting to set a clear path for his administration to meet its ambitious goals and transform Kenya’s public service delivery.
