Samburu West Member of Parliament Lesuuda Josephine Naisula on Wednesday, June 12, tabled The Public Service Internship Bill before the House for debate.
The Bill seeks to establish a legal framework for the regulation of internship programmes within the public service.
If passed, graduates working under the government internship program will be fired if they are absent for 24 hours without permission.
“An internship period shall be valid for any period as may be determined by a person in charge of a public service institution, but such internship period shall not exceed 12 months,” the Bill reads in part.
“An intern shall be liable to have his or her internship discontinued on the grounds of absence from the public service institution without permission or reasonable cause for a period exceeding 24 hours.”
An intern can also be dismissed due to gross or disorderly conduct as well as posting unsatisfactory performance.
Other grounds for dismissal include; failure to obey any lawful instructions or commission of a criminal offence.
“An intern may terminate internship by submitting a thirty days' notice in writing to the person in charge of the public service institution,” the Bill further provides.
According to the proposals made by MP Lesuuda, the intern during the 12-month-long program will be provided with a monthly stipend and insurance.
The legislator noted that the monthly stipend which will be determined by the Ministry of Public Service is necessary as the interns contribute to the manpower of the organisation by offering their professional skills as apprentices.
Speaking on the floor of the House, Lesuuda regretted that in 2013 there was a directive and policy that interns would receive a stipend that largely depended on the goodwill of the government of the day.
The MP added that in future, there will be discussions to engage the private sector to ensure interns working there also receive stipends.
