Moses Kuria asks PSC to suspend new and ongoing staff hiring

Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria on Thursday, July 4, 2024 asked the Public Service Commission (PSC) to suspend new and ongoing recruitment in the public service for the next one year pending the establishment of tripartite committee to clear the most critical requests in line with the fiscal reality in the country.

The CS said the move was in line with austerity measures announced by President William Ruto following the withdrawal of the Finance Bill 2024.

The tripartite committee will consist of representatives from the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management, the Ministry of National Treasury and Economic Planning and the Public Service Commission.

During the suspension of employment, the government will conduct audit and clean all public payrolls.

In a letter to PSC Chairman Anthony Muchiri, the CS pointed out that the measure is critical in controlling runaway recurrent expenditures and aligning with austerity measures across government.

Budget cuts

“In view of expected budget cuts in the ongoing budget rationalisation therefore, I urge you to halt any new recruitment and any that is ongoing and has not been concluded,” he said.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Mr Kuria noted that the suspension of employment is in accordance with the recent directive issued by National Treasury and Economic Planning CS Njuguna Ndung’u as outlined during his budget presentation to Parliament on June 13, 2024.

“I further refer to the resolutions of the Third National Wage Bill Conference held from 15-17th April 2024, among them to reduce the Wage bill to 35 percent of revenue as provided in the Public Finance Management Act 2012,” he said.

Wage bill

The letter also copied to Chief of Staff and the Head of Public Service (Felix Koskei), National Treasury CS and Principal Secretary in the State Department for Public Service directed that the ongoing interviews for shortlisted candidates in public service should be put on hold.

Citing the PFM Act, 2012, he pointed out that Kenya’s public wage bill exceeds 35 per cent of the national budget.

“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,” CS Kuria said.

The committee will be charged with the mandate of evaluating the ongoing recruitment initiatives with an aim of ensuring compliance with reducing the public wage bill directive.

“Any future hiring in the public sector must be justified by genuine operational needs,” added the CS’s statement.

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