Government accounting officers have two weeks to take stock of projects, programmes and directives in their areas of responsibility as the government steps up efforts to improve delivery and coordination across its institutions.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said the review will cover ministries, departments, State corporations and government-owned enterprises, giving the administration a full view of what has been achieved, what is ongoing and areas that may require quicker action.
He said the exercise will also help identify cases where different institutions have similar or overlapping responsibilities, allowing government to better coordinate its work and direct resources where they are most needed.
“This will give us a clear picture of implementation across Government, help align resources and address areas where mandates and responsibilities intersect,” Koskei said.
Koskei spoke Wednesday during a virtual consultative meeting attended by Principal Secretaries, chairpersons and chief executive officers of State corporations and government-owned enterprises.
The meeting, held under the theme, “Finishing Strong through Deliberate and Intentional Management,” centred on the need for government institutions to work together, speed up the implementation of programmes and ensure decisions made by the administration lead to results.
Accounting officers have been tasked with bringing together information on the projects and programmes being handled within their respective dockets.
Koskei said this will make it easier to establish the progress of various initiatives and point out those that need urgent attention or closer cooperation between government agencies.
The Head of Public Service said the exercise is important in ensuring that policies adopted by the government are turned into services and projects that Kenyans can see and benefit from.
“Over the last four years, this team has worked together to translate policy decisions into programmes, projects and services that have a direct impact on the lives of Kenyans,” he said.
He credited ministries, departments and State corporations for the progress made so far, saying their combined efforts have helped move government programmes forward.
Koskei, however, urged the agencies to keep their attention on actual delivery, noting that citizens experience government through the services and facilities available to them.
“We also reflected on how citizens experience Government. Through a health facility that works, a completed road, reliable public services and programmes that improve livelihoods,” Koskei said.
He said government agencies cannot achieve the desired results while working independently, particularly when their duties and responsibilities meet in certain areas.
“Delivering these outcomes requires ministries, departments and State Corporations to work together as one Government,” he said.
Koskei also urged accounting officers to ensure that information shared about government programmes is clear, factual and supported by evidence.
He said accounting officers are in the best position to provide accurate updates because they hold the official records on projects and initiatives being carried out by their institutions.
He said government achievements should therefore be communicated correctly and supported by information that can be checked and confirmed.
The findings from the review will also be used in the National Conversation on Kenya’s Future Beyond Vision 2030, which was launched by President William Ruto on August 12.
Koskei further said the administration will continue with the Zero Fault Audit while working to revitalise regulatory authorities and agencies.
He said the focus of these efforts will be on making public institutions more accountable, strengthening their performance and improving the services they provide.
The measures are intended to help government institutions operate more effectively and ensure that public resources are channelled to programmes that can produce measurable results for Kenyans.