Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has once again sounded the alarm over laxity among civil servants, warning that indiscipline and poor work ethic will not be tolerated in government offices.
During an impromptu visit to Embu County on Monday, Ruku toured the Eastern Regional Headquarters and later inspected the Huduma Centre, where he sampled some of the services offered to wananchi. However, the visit also exposed tardiness among a section of staff, with some arriving late for duty only to find the CS waiting. The visibly displeased Ruku locked the latecomers out of their offices and addressed them in the parking lot, lecturing them on the importance of discipline and professionalism in the public service.
“Most of us in public service do not wake up at the same time. The private sector is working hard for this economy, but some of us are not doing our part,” Ruku remarked.
He noted that his ministry would intensify spot checks in government offices across the country, saying similar visits had already been conducted in Nyeri, Mombasa, and Nakuru. The crackdown, he emphasized, is part of a broader push to restore efficiency and accountability in the public sector.
While he praised the services at the Huduma Centre, Ruku expressed dissatisfaction with the Ministry of Education offices in Embu, which he flagged for laxity. He reminded civil servants to strictly adhere to the Human Resource Procedures and Manual of 2016, which stipulates the standards of professionalism, ethics, and performance expected from public officers.
To further enforce discipline, Ruku revealed that the government is in the final stages of developing a digital application that will monitor employees’ productivity in real time. The app, set to be launched at the end of October, will be mandatory for all civil servants.
In July, the CS had already warned that absentee staff and habitual latecomers would be classified as ghost workers. His latest visit to Embu underscores the ministry’s renewed resolve to ensure efficiency and accountability in service delivery.
