MP Zaheer Jhanda to push for contract-based terms for public servants to boost youth employment

Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda has announced plans to introduce a parliamentary reform aimed at overhauling Kenya’s public service by enforcing strict, performance-based contracts for government employees.

According to the legislator, the proposal will require all public servants to operate on fixed-term contracts ranging from one to four years and renewal will be based on performance.

“This will end complacency and indefinite tenure without results,” Jhanda stated in a statement on Tuesday.

He added that the move is designed to modernise government operations and improve efficiency across ministries, departments and agencies.

According to MP Jhanda, the reform seeks to dismantle what he termed a culture of complacency and indefinite tenure in public service, where some officers serve for years without formal contracts or clear accountability.

Under the proposed framework, public servants who have overstayed or served without formal contractual arrangements would be vetted and required to reapply for their positions competitively.

A key pillar of the proposal is youth inclusion, as Jhanda argued that with over 70 per cent of Kenya’s population being the youth, failure to avail public service opportunities poses a serious socio-economic risk.

He said the contract system would create space for young professionals and align public service with supporting youth in securing job opportunities.

The MP framed the reform as supportive of President William Ruto’s agenda, saying it reinforces the Head of State’s push for an efficient, accountable and results-driven government.

If adopted, the proposal is likely to spark debate within political, labour and public service circles, particularly on job security, institutional memory and labour rights.

However, Jhanda insists the long-term benefits — improved performance, accountability and youth employment — outweigh the discomfort of change.

The proposal comes amid growing national conversations on unemployment, public sector reform and the sustainability of Kenya’s wage bill, with pressure mounting on policymakers to deliver tangible solutions for the country’s expanding youth population.