Put citizens first in your work, Mudavadi tells CSs

On the second day of the retreat for Cabinet and senior ranks of the Executive in Nyeri County, Mudavadi emphasised that it was time for public officers to move from election promises to provision of services. He reiterated the need to walk the talk and shun empty rhetoric by working. He said government officers must understand the needs of Kenyans and come up with solutions.

Mudavadi, who jetted back to the country from Brazil on Wednesday to attend the retreat, challenged his colleagues in the Executive to be wary of temptations that could derail them from delivering on the promises made to Kenyans by the Kenya Kwanza team during campaigns.

Mudavadi said actualisation of the Kenya Kwanza Manifesto was key to getting the economy back on track.

"We must deliver without fail or delay. This is the only way history shall judge if the Kenya Kwanza leadership was worth forming government or else we will be mocked by Kenyans as having acted as traitors," he said.

Mudavadi called upon the CSs and PSs to be men and women of integrity. In a speech titled, Remember you Serve, Not Rule Citizens: A Call for Economic Liberation, Mudavadi said: "We have been called upon to deliver. Do not to use State Office for personal glorification, gain or to massage egos. Let us continually seek the inspiration of citizens and act in their interest. Learn to listen. The perception of you by the people you serve is critical to your success."

Mudavadi also told the leaders to always adhere to the Constitution by involving the citizens through appropriate public participation. He said public officers do not enjoy monopoly of ideas.

"In today's political and work landscape, the perception of doing the right thing is as important as actually doing the right thing itself," he said adding: "Remember, we live in an age where most people are internet-enabled, has their own set of facts and have rapid access to information. It is an age of fake news too."

He assured President William Ruto that his office was determined to deliver on the mandates of coordination and supervision of government ministries and state departments in the implementation of policies, programmes and projects.

"Your Excellency, I will be seeking your support to deal firmly with the derailleurs, so that we deliver on the Kenya Kwanza legacy and lay a strong foundation to confirm to our detractors that you were not just lucky or guessing, but you meant business. Count on me anytime," he said.

Stating that the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary is the fulcrum upon which delivery of government services is premised, Mudavadi said: "Since we set out the vision in the Kenya Kwanza Plan, the milling plant at my office is busy running, churning out strategy on how best the office can contribute to the realisation of the Plan. The programmes and policies we are making today, their prioritisation, their quality in performance and delivery, shall be our legacy. I will be there to support every ministry and state department as I discharge my supervision and coordination function."