Nyeri Governor Dr. Mutahi Kahiga has directed employees working in the county to uphold the highest levels of ethical discipline while dispensing service to the public.
Speaking during the signing of the 2026/2027 Performance Contracts for senior county officers, Kahiga has also called upon the employees to observe financial prudence in their respective dockets to avoid misusing funds meant for public good.
The governor noted that while signing of performance contracts was a statutory obligation to all public servants, its implementation remains the most critical.
“This event is not just about signing performance contracts. It is a binding promise to our citizens. The guide for this cycle is the improvement of fiscal and expenditure discipline in the county. Fiscal discipline means living within our means. Expenditure discipline means spending our money only on what truly matters and on what is expected to deliver results,” said Dr. Kahiga.
Apart from observing fiscal prudence in resource management, the officers were reminded of the need to adhere to accountability and efficiency in service delivery by setting up realistic and achievable goals as guided by the County Integrated Development Plans (CIDP).
Dr. Kahiga also reminded the officers of their obligation to be ready to have performance indicators in their work plans, which can be verified by the public towards the end of every contractual year.
“The exercise is conducted yearly to aid in the actualization of development plans, link departmental priorities with the annual budget, track performance effectively, and take action to improve performance. The process involves negotiating, vetting, and drafting the annual targets that are guided by County Integrated Development Plans, Vision 2030, Sustainable Development Goals, Annual Development Plans, and the allocated budgets,” he stated.
“Performance contracting, therefore, is not merely an administrative exercise or a requirement to be fulfilled. It is an accountability management tool for implementing our development priorities, policies, and plans into measurable results. The performance contracts we are signing today must therefore guide how we plan, allocate resources, implement programs, and assess our achievements throughout the financial year,” added Kahiga.
On efficiency and effective service delivery, the officers who included County Executive Committee Members and Chief Officers were reminded of the need to take a lead in actualizing what they had put on paper in terms of targets for the year.
In addition, the officers were directed to act on reduction of wastages in their respective departments, which he termed as an eyesore in the management of scarce resources meant for the common good of the public.
To address the problem, Dr. Kahiga directed an immediate stop on expenditure on non-essential programs and such resources to be reallocated to more deserving dockets such as health and roads.
“I direct the following measures across all departments and entities: reduction of wastage, cost savings and reduction, building public trust, prioritizing project completion, procuring transparency, cutting pending bills, enhancing internal audits, freezing non-essential travel, and zero tolerance for corruption,” directed Dr. Kahiga.
“Performance contracting aims to improve efficiency and effectiveness in public service management. Performance contracts are also essential in providing a framework for accountability and establishing clear goals and objectives. They are crucial in actualizing development plans and defining the scope of work and deliverables while specifying measurable performance indicators and key performance indicators,” he added.
By Samuel Maina
