The government dealt a blow to public servants seeking to extend their stay in employment past the retirement age.
According to Public Service, Affirmative Action and Gender Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aisha Jumwa, scores of public officers had put in a formal request to extend their employment contracts.
The CS expressly warned that no one would be allowed to continue being on the government’s payroll once they attain mandatory retirement age.
“It has come to the attention of the Public Service department that public officers who have attained mandatory age are making numerous appeals for an extension.
“I request all extension review cases be suspended and any existing cases be revoked to enable proper legislations and succession management guidelines to be implemented across the Public Service," the CS directed.
Jumwa noted that she was guided by the Public Service Commission Act, amended in 2009 and 2020.
The Act was amended in 2009 to raise the mandatory retirement age from 55 years to 60 years for all public servants.
In 2020, the Act was further amended to raise the mandatory age of people living with disability from 60 years to 65 years.
The Public Service Commission Act details instances when a public officer can go into retirement.
Apart from attaining the mandatory retirement age; a public officer is allowed to apply for retirement after attaining the age of 50 years.
A public officer may also be forced to retire on medical grounds, abolishment of public office, in accordance with a special retirement scheme agreed upon between a public officer and the relevant lawful authority or voluntary retirement.
With CS Jumwa’s directive, public officers who had attained the mandatory age will transition into retirement with immediate effect according to the Act.
“A public officer shall retire from the service with effect from the date of attaining the mandatory retirement age.
“The Commission or other appointing authority shall not extend the service of such retired public officer beyond the mandatory retirement age,” the Act directs on what should happen after a public officer reaches 60 years of age.
