New Govt Payroll System to “Shake Public Service” by April 2026

Human Resource managers across government ministries have been ordered to take strict action against officers who arrive late or skip work, as concerns grow over absenteeism and poor service delivery in public offices.

Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku expressed frustration over the low levels of service across ministries, accusing HR managers of failing to enforce discipline and ensure staff presence at their workstations.

During surprise visits to state department offices at the Nyanza regional headquarters, Ruku observed that many officers were not reporting to work on time. He warned that employees who continue arriving late must “pull up their socks” before government technology systems automatically track their attendance.

“If we have emails in our offices, those emails must be working, and if they are not, remove them from our websites because Kenyans send information on some of those emails, but the response is not there. If you have telephones that you are supposed to respond to, and Kenyans make calls, but in most cases, there is nobody to answer because those offices are not at their desks,” Ruku said.

The Cabinet Secretary directed HR managers in all state departments to submit monthly reports on telephone calls and public inquiries. He said these reports would help improve efficiency and accountability in the public service.

Ruku noted that only the State Department of Immigration at the regional headquarters had all staff present at their workstations by 8:00 am. He praised the department’s punctuality and encouraged other ministries to emulate its work culture.

“Kenyans pay for these services through taxes, and they expect us to be at our offices on time. Being present helps them save time and plan accordingly. When we are not in our offices on time, we send the wrong signals. On behalf of the government of Kenya, I say thank you to the State Department of Immigration in Kisumu,” he said.

The Cabinet Secretary also criticized other departments for being “very scattered,” with very few officers present at the start of the workday. He revealed that the government is working to streamline the payroll system to address challenges such as staff failing to report to work.

Ruku said the new system, which he described as one that will “shake public service,” is expected to be operational by April 2026, and will enhance accountability and efficiency across government offices.