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CS Moses Kuria instructs PSC to suspend recruitment drive

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Cabinet Secretary in the Civil Service (CS) Moses Kuria has ordered a suspension of recruitment in the public sector.

In a statement dated July 4, 2024, Kuria quoted an instruction from Finance Minister Njuguna Ndung’u, which complete Hiring freeze for new staff for next year.

In his address to the Chairman of the Public Service Commission (PSC), Kuria reiterated this new step and stressed that it must be accompanied by the expected budget cuts.

“In In view of the expected budget cuts as part of the ongoing budget rationalization, I therefore call on you to stop all new recruitment and all ongoing and pending recruitment. During the suspension of employment, the “The government will conduct an audit and clean up all public service payrolls,” the statement said.

Over and beyond revealed The Government had the Intention to conduct a thorough audit of public payrolls during The Recruitment break.

According to Kuria, the Goal Was to streamline and clean up existing payroll systems and prepare for future financial adjustments.

In addition, the CS announced plans to set up a committee tasked with Recruitment initiatives to ensure that future public sector recruitmentS justified by genuine operational needs.

“In the meantime, the government will constitute a tripartite committee comprising representatives from the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management, the Ministry of National Finance and Economic Planning and the Public Service Commission to evaluate ongoing recruitment initiatives and ensure compliance with the Public Wage Bill Reduction Policy. Any future recruitment in the public sector must be justified by genuine operational needs,” CS Kuria noted.

Kuria rejects salary increase

Earlier, Moses Kuria had refused to implement the official announcement on salary increases for civil servants, arguing that fiscal responsibility was needed in the wake of violent protests against the Finance Bill 2024.

CS Kuria said in a public notice that while the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) has the power to set and review the remuneration and benefits of all public servants, the current economic climate requires a different approach.

Kenyan Gazette Notice No. 177 dated 9 August 2023 outlined a new salary structure to be implemented by 1 July 2024. However, the planned increase in salaries for civil servants was put on hold following massive public outcry.

In his statement, Kuria referred to the resolution of the third National Wage Law Conference held from April 15 to 17, 2024, which aimed to reduce wage bills to 35 percent of revenue as stipulated in the Public Finance Management (PFM) Act, 2012, as well as the existing austerity measures announced by President William Ruto following the withdrawal of the Finance Bill, 2024.

“In view of the resolution of the National Wage Bill Conference and the austerity measures announced by His Excellency the President, it is clear that the implementation of the new salary structure is not sustainable at this stage,” Kuria said.

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