PSC new regulations to streamline appointment, promotions in public service

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has developed new regulations to guide public institutions in the management of human resource.

The requirement will replace the PSC Regulations, 2005 and give effect to the Public Service Commission Act, 2017.

The new rules provide guidelines on, among others, the recruitment of aides for top State officers such as the President, Deputy President, Cabinet Secretaries (CS) and Principals Secretaries (PS).

According to the regulations, PSC will only appoint a personal assistant from among serving public servants while advisors to State officers will only be approved if the said person has the skills required.

“A request for appointment of an adviser will be accompanied by; a written confirmation by the requesting authority that the technical competencies, skills and experience being sought do not exist in the public service and the competencies and experience of the identified adviser match the job requirements.”

On appointment of PSs, the regulations state that within 21 days of a presidential election, PSC will commence a competitive recruitment and selection exercise for the purpose of identifying persons to be recommended for nomination by the President for appointment.

“In recommending persons for nomination by the President for appointment as a principal secretary, the commission will – publish in the Kenya Gazette, commission’s website and a newspaper with national circulation, the criteria including the qualifications, disqualifications, experience and other requirements for recommending persons to be appointed as PSs.”

Workshop

The commission held a stakeholders' workshop yesterday at Kenya School of Government in Nairobi.

The regulations require that a request for establishment of an office, such as the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) that President Uhuru Kenyatta created last month, will be in writing and will contain a report.

The draft regulations are available on the commission’s website www.publicservice.go.ke for public scrutiny.

Those attending the workshop will review the draft and make recommendations that will be consolidated into the final document to be forwarded to the Attorney General for gazettement upon approval by Parliament.

Among the raft of proposals are provisions on appointment and promotions, code of conduct and qualifications, disciplinary control and public service efficiency. Also covered are proposals on conditions of service, human resource development, retirement and pension options and establishment and abolition of offices.

Unlike the current regulations, the proposed regulations have a chapter on promotion and reporting on values and principles of governance as well as values and principles of public service in compliance with the Constitution.

The new Constitution gave the commission the responsibility to promote national values and and to report to the President and Parliament annually the extent to which the public service has complied with the values.

In the 2005 regulations, delegation of the commission’s mandate was subject to the consent of the President.