The government has directed all its agencies to submit their annual recruitment plans even as it bids to streamline hiring of staff in the public sector.
Public Service Commission (PSC) chairperson Anthony Muchiri said these hiring plans will now be monitored in a centralised manner, this coming amid growing concerns over a potential freeze by more parastatals.
Ambassador Muchiri announced the planned changes during a media engagement with all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) on Thursday, and said his commission will oversee the process.
Muchiri said all MDAs will be required to submit the plans by July 1 every year, and warned that those that fail to align with the reforms risk missing their budgetary allocations. Some of these reforms are in line with the demands of international lenders.
"The PSC has institutionalised an annual recruitment plan. All MDAs will be required to submit their annual recruitment plans to the commission by July 1 every year, beginning this year,'' Muchiri announced.
The government has been racing against time to streamline key sectors, among them the public service, to align with the demands of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to cut off on unnecessary budgetary expenditures.
The directives to the agencies, once rolled out, will ensure the PSC and the National Treasury anticipate staffing needs and allocate budgets effectively.
Further, it will help the government align all recruitment with the approved fiscal framework, avoiding unplanned hires that could burden the wage bill.
Additionally, the directive will help provide a structured, auditable process for staffing, reducing chances of nepotism and irregular hiring.
Moreover, it will ensure timely recruitment, allowing proper staffing in critical areas and ensuring continuity in government functions.
Meanwhile, the PSC chairperson announced that they are in the final stages of developing the 2025–2031 service charter to better align the service delivery of the government.
2025 remains a hopeful year for many Kenyans, as the freeze on civil servant salaries is set to expire. The freeze, along with restrictions limiting new hires to essential sectors such as security, education, and health, was aimed at reducing the public wage bill’s share of GDP and freeing up funds for key development initiatives.
Kenya has already achieved other significant strides, such as the roll out of the Electronic Government Procurement (eGP) system, with Treasury CS John Mbadi directing all Principal Secretaries and accounting officers to ensure their departments comply with the implementation on April 7.
The eGP will enable the government to upload and keep an updated record of its operations, including the various budgetary allocations, according to Mbadi.
Further, the system will enable the government to upload and make publicly available its procurement plans and the tendering systems.
