CS Ruku urges senior public servants to cut travel, focus on service delivery

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has urged senior government managers to cut down on unnecessary travel and per diem-driven activities, warning that such practices undermine the push for efficient and citizen-centred service delivery.

Speaking at Ole Sereni in Nairobi during the induction of senior managers at the State Department for Public Service and Human Capital Development, Ruku said public servants must prioritise responsible use of resources and align their work with President William Ruto’s transformation agenda.

The CS described senior managers as the “engine of implementation” of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), stressing that their leadership is critical to delivering tangible outcomes for citizens.

“We all love money, and I know training is important. But let’s be honest, the issue of per diem is not doing us good, and we need to reposition ourselves to transform the public service. Let’s minimise travel and focus on impactful service,” he said.

“It amounts to zero, even if I shout from the rooftops, without your commitment and action. You are the people who can help the President achieve the nation’s transformation goals.”

Ruku acknowledged budget constraints and delayed funding affecting departments, but insisted this should not be an excuse for poor performance.

“We are all stretched, but that’s not an excuse for underperformance. If I were the President, I’d have given up long ago. But he hasn’t, and we must not,” CS Ruko noted.

He further reminded the officers of their constitutional duty to uphold integrity, accountability, and professionalism, noting that citizens judge the government by results.

“Our work is also political. When we engage citizens, they need to see results. If they don’t, as a Cabinet Secretary, I too will have failed,” said the CS.

The induction, themed “Aligning the Public Service for Accelerated Service Delivery,” brought together senior managers from various departments to explore reforms, digitisation, ethical leadership, capacity building, and wellness.

Principal Secretary Dr. Jane Imbunya, who led the sessions, urged the managers to revisit the mandate of the State Department and sharpen their tools for effective service delivery.

The government says the training is part of a broader initiative to reposition the public service for greater accountability and impact under the national development agenda.