By Abdimalik Hajir - Reporter
7 May 2026 - Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Geoffrey Ruku was on Thursday left stunned after finding several government offices in Garissa deserted during an impromptu inspection visit at morning working hours.
This raised concerns over absenteeism and service delivery in public institutions, with the CS urging the public servants to put efforts to be at their work stations at the right time for better service delivery for Kenyans.
He said at the regional offices, he only found one cashier with all other staff missing.
He commended police officers whom he said were there to man the building.
“At the regional offices there were Kenyans... more than ten, who were waiting to be served. By the time I was leaving, there was nobody to serve them. This pains me,” he told journalists at Garissa County Commissioner’s office.
Ruku said those given the opportunity to serve Kenyans are seemingly not keen adhering to Article 232 of the Constitution that elaborate the principals and values of public servants.
The CS, who was accompanied by Garissa Woman Representative Udgoon Siyat and Garissa County Commissioner Mohamed Mwabudzo, walked from office to office before visiting the Huduma Centre.
All offices including those from the county government were empty except the cashier at the regional office who was working.
According to the CS, the government has increased the salaries of all public servants in January and back dated to 1 July 2025, adding that basic, commuter and house allowance was increased.
At the same, he noted the government is yet again going to increase the salaries this year on 1 July 2026.
Related articles
"There should be no reason as to why we are not putting our best forward as public service. Customer Service excellence is what the President of Kenya is calling upon to all public servants,” he said.
According Human Resource Procedure Manual 2016, all public servants in North Eastern region should report to work at 7:30 in the morning and go for lunch at 12:30pm and come back to the offices at 2:30pm before the office time ends at 4:30 in the evening.
The CS said public service excellence can be achieved when all public servants are committed, adding that commitment can be defined if someone is reporting to work at the right time.
“I am going to push to ensure all those who are responsible to ensure they are in the office at the right time and are doing what is right and if they cannot be in the office at the right time, then they have no business continuing to be public servants,” he fumed.
He said public servants are not supposed to be forced, but do what they are assigned to do, adding that there is still a long way to go for public offices in different government entities.
Ruku however commended the Huduma Centre that he said by the time he visited, all staff were working and serving Kenyans.
This, he noted, is reflected in all Huduma Centres countrywide.