The newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development, Justin Muturi, has reaffirmed his commitment to improving the efficiency and accountability of public service delivery in Kenya. With over 11 years of experience in public service, including his previous role as Attorney General, Hon. Muturi brings a wealth of expertise and dedication to his new position.
Speaking on his new responsibilities, Muturi reflected on his past work and the importance of continuous improvement within the public service sector. “I used to write opinions as the Attorney General, which didn’t require much talk,” he remarked. “But I’m not new to the docket of public service. I’ve been in the public service space for the last 11 years. As we await the Executive Order coming out next week, I’ve been going through the documents to familiarize myself with the goings-on in the ministry.”
He emphasized the necessity of providing efficient and accountable services to the public, stressing the importance of ongoing training for service providers to ensure the nation’s progress. “We need to train the service providers to push through as a country,” Muturi stated.
In line with his broader vision, Muturi announced the launch of a socio-economic audit to evaluate the delivery of services to Kenyans and assess the country’s progress. “We began to call for a socio-economic audit to check on the delivery of services to Kenyans and to see how far we’ve come as a country,” he noted.
Muturi also highlighted the importance of Chapter 15 of the Constitution, which deals with the establishment and independence of commissions and independent offices. He posed a thought-provoking question to the nation: “Kenyans can decide to do away with Chapter 15 of the Constitution, but we need to ask ourselves what value we are giving to Kenyans.”
He underscored the need for ongoing reviews of public services, reassuring that these should not be viewed as targeting any individual or office. “There will be a need for us to keep reviewing the services that we give to the public, so let no one see it as if it’s targeting them or the office they hold,” Muturi explained.
Acknowledging that criticism is an inherent part of public service, Muturi encouraged resilience and the pursuit of continuous improvement. “Even when we get criticism, we don’t lose hope; we just look through the comments to sharpen ourselves. Let us soldier on—our job is to serve the greater Republic of Kenya.”
In his concluding remarks, Muturi expressed his openness to ideas for enhancing service delivery and praised his predecessor, Moses Kuria [former CS Public Service], for the significant achievements made during his tenure. “I’m ready to listen to all of you for ideas to improve service delivery. I applaud Moses for the great things he has managed to achieve in the short time he’s been in office,” he said.