Kenya Tuesday officially opened the national celebration of Africa Public Service Day (APSD) 2025 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi.
The three-day event, running from June 10th to 12th, is being held under the continental theme “Enhancing the Agility and Resilience of Public Institutions to Achieve Equitable Governance and Rapidly Address Historical Service Delivery Gaps.”
Public Service human capital development and special program Cabinet Secretary (CS), Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku, addressed the gathering with a firm message to public servants that punctuality and professionalism are non-negotiable.
Citing recent visits to government offices in Mombasa where staff reported late, Ruku urged public officers to honor their duty to taxpayers.
“If you are employed to report at 8:00 Am, please be at your workstation on time,” said the CS adding that public servants exist to serve citizens, not the other way around.
Ruku called for a departure from any remnants of colonial-era attitudes in public administration, insisting that the public service must remain anchored in the constitutional values of integrity, transparency, accountability, and responsiveness, as enshrined in Article 232 of the Constitution of Kenya.
On the other hand, Roku lauded departments such as Immigration and National Administration for showing exemplary commitment by being punctual and efficient, noting that such values reflect the goals of the Kenya Kwanza administration.
Ruku commended ongoing innovations such as performance contracting, digital service platforms, and one-stop Huduma Centers, pledging full policy support to scale these interventions nationally.
“We must embrace business process re-engineering, automation, and artificial intelligence to improve public service delivery and national competitiveness,” he said.
He also announced the upcoming launch of a Public Service Delivery Innovation Policy, aimed at documenting best practices and promoting fair recognition of creative efforts within the service.
State Department for Public Service and Human Capital Development Principal Secretary Dr. Jane Kere Imbunya emphasized the importance of APSD as a platform for reflection, innovation, and peer learning.
She noted that the public sector must continually evolve to meet emerging challenges and citizen expectations.
“This celebration offers a timely opportunity to showcase the transformative work being done by ministries, departments, agencies, and county governments,” said Dr. Imbunya. “Digital transformation and equitable access to services are central to closing long-standing delivery gaps.”
She also highlighted the exhibition component of the event, where public institutions are showcasing innovative practices that improve service responsiveness, efficiency, and reach. Touching on the theme’s reference to “historical service gaps”.
PS Imbunya called for an intentional effort to identify and redress long-standing inequities in public service delivery.
“We must ensure inclusive and fair engagement of all stakeholders, with Kenya as our primary stakeholder,” Imbunya stated.
Muhoroni MP James Oyoo Onyango, a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs, called for bold, people-centered reforms and challenged public servants to embrace innovative thinking.
“We must think inside the box, outside the box, and without the box,” Onyango said, adding that Equity and inclusiveness must be the compass guiding all public service efforts.
He praised Kenya’s public servants as key pillars of national and continental developmen
t, describing public service as “one of the most rewarding jobs on earth.
Onyango affirmed Parliament’s support for reforms that make governance more accessible, accountable, and effective for all citizens.
Africa Public Service Day, established by the African Union in 1994, is celebrated biennially across the continent to recognize the critical role of public service in national development.
The national exhibition at KICC will culminate in the selection of top-performing innovations and practices, which will be presented at the continental APSD commemoration in Addis Ababa later this month.
From punctuality reforms, to e-government platforms, Kenya’s approach reflects a growing continental consensus: to achieve sustainable development and equitable governance, Africa must invest in strong, innovative, and responsive public institutions.
By Kamau Daniel and Amina Bakari
