The government has introduced a new administrative framework that places the Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service at the centre of communicating and coordinating President William Ruto's directives, with ministries and public institutions now required to implement only instructions transmitted through the office.
The directive, contained in a circular dated July 14, makes the Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service, headed by Felix Koskei, the official channel for communicating presidential directives to ministries, state departments, agencies, state corporations and other public entities, unless the President expressly directs otherwise.
The move is aimed at creating a uniform system for issuing and implementing presidential decisions after the government raised concerns that instructions have been reaching implementing agencies through different channels.
“All presidential directives requiring implementation by ministries, state departments, agencies, state corporations, and other public entities shall, unless otherwise expressly directed by His Excellency the President, shall be communicated under the hand of the Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service,” the circular reads.
Under the new arrangement, ministries, departments and agencies will only be expected to act on directives formally issued through Koskei's office. Any reports on the implementation of presidential directives will also be submitted through the same office.
The circular further instructs all public institutions to treat communication from the Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service as the official administrative authority for implementing presidential decisions.
“Recipients must treat communication from this office as the only official administrative communication of such directives for purposes of implementation,” the document obtained by the Star reads in part.
The directive has been circulated to Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, accounting officers, constitutional office holders, chief executives of state corporations, independent commissions, county secretaries, Parliament and the Attorney General.
It also introduces new procedures for government agencies seeking to communicate presidential directives. Institutions will be required to prepare draft communications accompanied by explanatory notes outlining the purpose and application of the proposed circulars before they are processed.
Communications from commissions and independent offices intended for ministries, state departments and agencies will also be forwarded through the Office of the Head of Public Service before being transmitted to the relevant institutions.
“Relevant decision minutes or communication and draft circulars may be annexed for this purpose,” Koskei added.
However, the circular provides exceptions for certain categories of official communication. Constitutional commissions and independent offices may send advisory communication directly to the relevant ministries, departments and agencies, provided the Head of Public Service receives a copy.
The directive also exempts National Treasury circulars and statutory reports, including audit reports, investigation reports and annual reports, from the new communication process.
“National Treasury circulars, and statutory reports (audit, investigation, annual reports) are similarly exempt from the requirements of this directive,” the memo says.
According to the government, the changes were prompted by concerns over the way presidential directives have been communicated to implementing institutions.
“It has been observed that presidential directives intended for implementation by MDAs and other public entities are, in some instances, being communicated through varied channels.”
“This has resulted in uncertainty regarding their authenticity and the appropriate course of implementation,” the circular says.
The new framework is expected to streamline the communication of presidential directives by making the Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service the central point for transmitting instructions and coordinating implementation across government institutions.