President William Ruto has ordered a sweeping shift in how Kenya recruits and promotes its public servants, insisting that jobs and career advancement in the state sector must be driven by performance rather than time served.
Speaking in Nairobi at a national productivity conference, the President said public institutions had to move away from rewarding longevity and instead build systems that recognise output and innovation.
“Promotion at work must be based on demonstrated results, never on mere longevity,” William Ruto said. “Let advancement be the consequence of contribution.”
His remarks signal a renewed push to reshape hiring practices across the public sector, where concerns about patronage and uneven promotion systems have long been debated.
Ruto directed recruitment bodies, including the Public Service Commission of Kenya, to enforce what he described as strict standards of merit, fairness and transparency in appointments and career progression.
“It is our expectation that all public service recruitment commissions hire on merit, fairness and transparency so that only the most competent get the opportunity to serve,” he said.
He added that underperformance would no longer be overlooked. High performers, he said, would be recognised, while those who fall short would face consequences.
“We will reward performers and innovators, and we will sanction non-performers without apology,” he said.
The President linked the reforms to broader national ambitions, arguing that Kenya’s economic future depends on a disciplined and skilled workforce. He said public service systems must invest more in specialised training, particularly in science, research and technology, to remain competitive in a changing global economy.
“No nation can rise higher than the collective skills, discipline, and diligence of its people,” he said.
Ruto also pointed to examples of countries such as South Korea and Singapore, which he said had built their development paths on education and human capital investment.
The directive comes as the government seeks to tighten accountability within the civil service, though it is likely to face scrutiny from unions and public sector workers who have traditionally relied on structured seniority systems for career progression.
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