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{
    "id": 212064,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/212064/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 229,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mr. Mganga",
    "speaker_title": "The Assistant Minister, Office of the President",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 255,
        "legal_name": "Boniface Mganga",
        "slug": "boniface-mganga"
    },
    "content": " Yes, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir. From 1963 when Kenya attained Independence to the early 1990s, the size of the public service grew to a level where it had become unsustainable and a major impediment to effective and efficient public service delivery. The size of the public service grew from 95,000 in 1963 to a peak of 657,000 employees in 2004 mainly due to a Government intervention to create employment in the public service. A large public service creates problems to prudent wage bill management. Other problems, include inadequate budgetary resources to run the Civil Service, low remuneration for civil servants that not only de-motivates, but also makes it difficult to generate savings by this core group, with performance management and service delivery systems and transparent accountability concerns associated with idle staff. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, to stem the problems related to a bloated public service, the Government has since the early 1990s embarked on staff reduction and frozen employment to ensure a reasonable balance between personnel emoluments and requisite operations and maintenance. The result has been a leaner public service which is efficient and effective in delivering much needed service to Kenyans. Clearly, focus should remain in rightsizing the public service while enabling the wider public sector to create required jobs. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the Motion, therefore, should not be passed as there are serious indications that this could roll back gains that have been achieved towards building an optimal size of public service. The goal is to build and nurture a lean, motivated and service- oriented public service. The driving policy objective remains to accelerate economic growth to July 25, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 29 levels that will generate employment on a sustainable basis. To deal with other problems associated with a non-performing public service, the Government has instituted reforms centred on rationalisation of ministerial functions and structures, wage bill management and staff rationalisation, pay and benefit reforms, training and capacity building, introduction of performance improvement measures and other initiatives aimed at a reduced size of the public service and strengthen focus on service delivery. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the objective of the public service reforms is to reverse the decline in productivity and performance brought about by the unsustainable large public service. The Motion thus goes against the gains so far achieved in the public service and it should, therefore, not be passed. Let me reiterate that by creating an enabling environment for a thriving private sector, it is possible to generate required employment opportunities. It is not necessary, therefore, and indeed, not advisable to increase the size of the public service. Public service employment will get direction from careful workforce planning. The Government must remain steadfast in enabling the private sector to be the leading employment provider and absorb entrance into the labour market. I beg to oppose the passing of this Motion."
}