CS Kuria Directs PSC To Halt Public Service Recruitment As Austerity Measures Take Effect
The government has announced that all new and ongoing public service recruitment will be halted in an effort to control the country’s rising wage bill and recurring expenses.
This was revealed in a directive issued on Wednesday by Moses K. Kuria, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management.
He stated that the directive is in line with the austerity measures discussed at Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u’s Budget presentation on June 13.
Kuria emphasized the directive’s urgency in a letter to the Public Service Commission’s Chairperson, Ambassador Anthony Muchiri.
— CS Moses Kuria (@HonMoses_Kuria) July 4, 2024
“This measure is critical in controlling runaway recurrent expenditures and aligning with austerity measures across government,” the CS stated.
According to CS Kuria, Kenya’s spending on public servant salaries, allowances, and benefits has surpassed sustainable levels, putting a strain on the country’s budget.
“Our current expenditure on salaries, allowances, and benefits for public servants exceeds sustainable levels, placing undue strain on our national finances and hindering our ability to allocate resources towards essential national priorities,” Kuria noted.
He stated that during the employment suspension, the government will conduct a thorough audit and cleanup of public payrolls.
“In view of expected budget cuts in the ongoing budget rationalization, therefore, I urge you to halt any new recruitment and any that is ongoing and has not been concluded,” the letter reads.
A tripartite committee will be formed to monitor and evaluate recruitment efforts.
The committee will be made up of representatives from the Ministry of Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management, the Ministry of National Treasury and Economic Planning, and the Public Service Commission.
According to CS Kuria, future hiring in the public sector will be solely based on legitimate operational needs.
“All new and ongoing recruitment, including interviews for shortlisted candidates in public service, are to be halted immediately,” Kuria stated.
“Any future hiring in the public sector must be justified by genuine operational needs.”
This measure, he claimed, aims to stabilize Kenya’s economic situation and ensure that public-sector employment reflects the country’s fiscal reality.
CS Kuria Directs PSC To Halt Public Service Recruitment As Austerity Measures Take Effect
