KENYA
Ageing Kenyan Public Servants are finding it increasingly difficult to do their jobs effectively, according to the Chair of the Public Service Commission (PSC), Stephen Kirogo (pictured).
Mr Kirogo is introducing an internship program that he says will partially solve this problem as well as correcting a “glaring” ethnic imbalance.
There have been consistent reports of a Public Service struggling with elderly workers, the majority of whom are more than 50 years old, and no fresh blood with the skills to replace them.
In addition, five of the country’s 44 tribes are over-represented.
Mr Kirogo said with 3,200 staff exiting the service every year through natural attrition, the PSC was required to take action.
“We are taking in 3,600 interns this year and the number can increase every year on a needs basis, with a possibility of a 100 per cent transition,” Mr Kirogo said.
“We will not lock out others, but we expect the interns to perform better when it comes to interviews for permanent positions as they will already possess the requisite skills.”
Public Service Cabinet Secretary, Professor Margaret Kobia agreed that the problem required urgent action.
“About 20 per cent of the workforce will retire in two to three years,” Professor Kobia said.
“Many of the technical people are retiring and we are working on promoting those below them.”
She said a deputy director should be able to do the job of a retiring director.
Nairobi, 18 September 2019
