Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has announced plans to shift all civil servants from permanent and pensionable terms to contract-based jobs, a move that could reshape how over a million public workers do their jobs if it gets the green light.
Ruku laid out the idea Thursday, February 26, while launching the Public Service Commission Strategic Plan 2025-2029 at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi. He called it part of a bigger Public Service Transformation Policy his ministry is putting together.
The plan heads to a Cabinet committee next week for discussion, then to the full Cabinet in March for a final look. If approved, it would replace lifelong secure posts with fixed contracts of three or five years, renewed only if people hit clear performance marks.
“You get a contract for three or five years,” Ruku explained plainly. “If you perform properly, you get another one for five years. If you don’t meet the targets, you go look for another job.”
He tied the change to fixing what he sees as growing problems in the public sector – things like absenteeism, complacency, and a sense of entitlement among some long-time staff.
He pointed out how interns show up early every day, while some bosses roll in late or not at all. That pattern, he said, shows the current setup lets people coast without real accountability.
The proposal would tie job security directly to results. Meet your goals, keep your spot. Fall short, and the contract ends – no automatic renewal, no pension safety net the same way.
Ruku argued this would push everyone to deliver better services to Kenyans, cut laziness, and make government offices run smoother. He framed it as a way to end impunity and bring discipline back to public work.
Kenya’s civil service numbers around 1.05 million people, many on permanent terms that guarantee jobs until retirement at 60, plus pensions after. Shifting everyone to contracts would mark one of the biggest changes in decades to how the government hires and keeps staff.
Unions and workers might push back hard, worrying about job losses, lower morale, or bosses using targets unfairly to fire people. Past talks about performance contracts have sparked protests, so this could heat up fast if it moves forward.
Ruku didn’t hide the motivation. He wants a public service where people earn their keep through measurable work, not just showing up year after year.
He mentioned how some supervisors arrive after their juniors, leaving offices empty at the start of the day. Fixing that, he believes, starts with contracts that demand results or send people packing.
Reactions started pouring in right after his speech. Online groups and news pages lit up with opinions. Some cheered the idea of holding public workers accountable – “Finally, someone saying what we’ve all seen,” one comment read.
Others worried it could scare good people away or lead to political firings. Teachers, doctors, clerks, and admins across counties now wonder what this means for their future pay cheques, pensions, and stability. With salaries already tight and living costs high, the thought of losing permanent status hits close to home.
The PSC strategic plan launch gave the perfect stage for Ruku to float this. The document focuses on better service delivery, accountability, and building stronger human capital in government.
His contract pitch fits right in as a bold step toward that goal. No timeline for rollout came up beyond the Cabinet presentations, so everything hinges on approval there first.
For ordinary Kenyans dealing with slow offices, missing files, or long queues at government counters, the promise of more disciplined staff sounds good on paper. But many public servants see their jobs as hard-earned security in a tough economy.
If the policy passes, it could spark debates, negotiations with unions, and maybe even strikes. Ruku seems ready to push ahead, betting that tying jobs to performance will make government work better for everyone.
As March approaches and the Cabinet weighs in, this story will keep growing. Civil servants, their families, and the public watch closely. One thing’s clear: the way Kenya runs its public workforce might look very different soon.
