At a time when concerns over fairness in public sector hiring continue to surface, President William Ruto has moved to tighten recruitment and promotion rules across state offices, directing that all career progression must strictly be anchored on merit, performance and transparency rather than seniority or routine advancement.
Speaking during the National Productivity and Performance Conference held at the Kenya School of Government, the President said public institutions must shift firmly towards a culture that recognises competence, innovation and results in service delivery.
He emphasised that recruitment bodies in the public sector must ensure fairness and accountability in their processes, warning against practices that reward individuals simply for being in office longer.
“It is our expectation that all public service recruitment commissions hire on merit, fairness and transparency so that only the most competent get the opportunity to serve,” he said.
The President further stressed that promotions in government should no longer be treated as automatic milestones tied to years of service, but as outcomes of measurable performance.
“Promotion at work must be based on demonstrated results, never on mere longevity. Let advancement be the consequence of contribution,” he said.
He also directed the Public Service Commission to take a leading role in embedding constitutional values across all government offices, saying the standards outlined in the Constitution must guide everyday operations in public service.
“To entrench this culture across the public service, I task the Public Service Commission to ensure that the values enshrined in Article 10 and 232 of the Constitution become the living standard of every public office,” he said.
At the same time, he issued a firm warning that underperformance in the public service would not be tolerated, while excellence and innovation would be rewarded.
“We will reward performers and innovators, and we will sanction non-performers without apology,” he said.
He reiterated that the government is committed to building a stronger and more efficient public service system that prioritises results, discipline and talent development as key drivers of national progress.
“We are committed to upholding merit, fairness, and transparency in our Public Service. By firmly embedding these principles into hiring and promotion processes, and rewarding performance and innovation, we will unleash the immense talent and expertise in our workforce,” he said.
The President linked these reforms to Kenya’s broader development goals, noting that long-term growth depends on a skilled and disciplined workforce capable of adapting to changing global demands.
“No nation can rise higher than the collective skills, discipline, and diligence of its people,” he said.
He added that Kenya must continue investing in specialised training, particularly in research, science and technology, in order to build a workforce that can support innovation and productivity.
He pointed to countries such as South Korea and Singapore as examples of economies that transformed through strong investment in education and human capital development.