When President William Ruto named his first Cabinet 21 months ago, he aimed to clarify the duties, mandates, and job descriptions for his new officers.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
In a notable address, he specifically outlined the responsibilities of his principal assistant, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, assigning him the task of overseeing the implementation of Cabinet decisions across all ministries and departments.
President Ruto stated, “He will oversee the implementation of Cabinet decisions across all ministries and departments.”
However, this same responsibility was also assigned to the Prime Cabinet Secretary’s Office, led by Musalia Mudavadi.
he Prime Cabinet Secretary’s primary role was defined as overseeing the implementation of Cabinet decisions, as well as national government policies, programs, and projects.
President Ruto elaborated on Mudavadi’s role, saying, “Assist the President and the Deputy President in the coordination and supervision of government ministries and state departments.
Coordinate and supervise the technical monitoring and evaluation of government policies, programs, and projects across ministries.”
Mudavadi’s duties also include facilitating inter-ministerial coordination of cross-functional initiatives, essentially placing him in charge of Cabinet Secretaries (CSs).
Yet, these roles are similarly being handled by the Ministry of Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management, led by CS Justin Bedan Muturi.
His key responsibilities involve overseeing the performance of government ministries, departments, and agencies in service delivery and monitoring the implementation of government priority programs and projects.
Adding to the complexity, the former CS for ICT, Eliud Owalo, has been appointed as the Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Performance and Delivery Management. In this role, Owalo will also oversee the performance of government ministries, departments, and agencies in service delivery.
This overlapping of responsibilities extends to the broader public service sector, where the Ministry of Public Service, the Office of the Head of Public Service, and the Public Service Commission have similar mandates.
While CS Muturi is responsible for the general public service docket, supporting and facilitating performance management for effective service delivery, the Public Service Commission, primarily a recruitment body, also promotes good governance and ensures efficiency in public service.
Felix Koskei, the Head of Public Service, has duties that include promoting ethics, good governance, efficiency, and effectiveness in public service through the deployment of the right skills, values, and leadership.
President Ruto has previously acknowledged the challenge, stating, “Our wage bill is 47% of our revenue. It should be 35% according to the law. So, we are way above. So, we need a conversation so that we can progressively [reduce this].”
These duplications in roles come amidst growing calls for the government to adhere to its promises of reducing public expenditure and living within its means, particularly in light of the nation’s significant wage bill.
Critics argue that the current structure not only undermines the government’s pledge to cut costs but also adds unnecessary complexity to the governance framework…CONTINUE READING>>
