This directive comes just hours after the government announced the suspension of all new and ongoing public service recruitment
President William Ruto has directed that government employees who have attained the age of 60 years and above to retire immediately.
The Head of State, who spoke at State House on Friday, July 5, added that those servants who go on retirement will not have their tenures extended, thus those state officers were asked to vacate.
“Henceforth, public servants who attain the retirement age of 60 years shall be required to immediately proceed on retirement, with no extensions to their tenure of service,” he announced.
This directive comes just hours after the government announced the suspension of all new and ongoing public service recruitment, a move that puts a stop to the recruitment of new public servants to replace those who have proceeded on to retirement.
President William Ruto speaking during a Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group meeting at State House, Nairobi on June 18, 2024. /PCS
This was revealed on Wednesday, July 4 when Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria wrote to the Public Service Commission (PSC) to suspend new and ongoing staff hiring, including ongoing interviews, due to anticipated budget cuts.
“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.
“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,” he directed the Public Service Commission (PSC).
Meanwhile, the Head of State announced that the positions of the Chief Administrative Positions (CAS) have been suspended.
“47 State Corporations with overlapping and duplicative functions will be dissolved, resulting in the elimination of their operational and maintenance costs, and their functions will be integrated into the respective line ministries. Staff currently employed by the affected corporations will be transferred to ministries and other state agencies,” he further announced.
He also announced that budget lines providing for the operations of the offices of the First Lady, the spouses of the Deputy President, and the Prime Cabinet Secretary shall be removed.
“Similarly, the budgetary provisions for confidential budgets in various Executive offices, including my office, shall be removed, and the budget for renovations across the government reduced by 50 percent,” he added.
President Ruto also told Kenyans to brace for changes in government that he would announce in due course, amidst media reports of another Cabinet reshuffle that could take a radical fashion and see the hiring and firing of Cabinet Secretaries in a bid to salvage the reputation of the current administration.
According to the Head of State, the government was determined to carry out several recommended changes to improve the quality, efficiency, and transparency in serving Kenyans.
“I believe these changes will set our country on a trajectory towards economic take-off, enabling us to achieve the strategic objectives of the bottom-up economic transformation agenda,” Ruto said.
These raft of changes as part of austerity measures comes amidst widespread uproar from Kenyans who complained over a myriad of issues ranging from corruption, and executive expenditure to unscrupulous state officers.
President William Ruto assents to the Appropriations Bill 2024 at State House, Nairobi on June 28, 2024. /PCS