SPEECH BY PRESIDENT MWAI KIBAKI DURING THE OFFICIAL RELEASE OF PERFORMANCE EVALUATION RESULTS FOR PUBLIC AGENCIES
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am pleased to once again preside over this event for the official announcement of the results of evaluation of the performance of our public service institutions.
The occasion brings us together to recognize and applaud those public service managers who have demonstrated outstanding performance in the delivery of services to the public. In doing so, we are also presenting a challenge as well as a reminder to those public service managers whose performance remains below acceptable levels that the taxpayer cannot continue to sustain them in office.|
Over the past five years, we made it clear that the efficiency of the public sector is a critical component of economic development. In order for us to achieve our goal of national development and to improve the living standards of our people, it is critical that we enhance the efficiency of public service institutions.
It is on the basis of this recognition that in 2003, I directed the public service to implement performance contracts as a management framework intended to improve the performance of Ministries and State Corporations. The implementation of performance contracting is, therefore, a deliberate strategy to turn around the performance of the public service, in order to lay the foundation for accelerated economic development and improved standards of living for our people.
I am glad to note that the implementation of Performance Contracts has impacted positively on all the productive sectors of the economy. In particular, the enormous increases in tax revenue collection, is enabling the government to speed-up and expand provision of essential social services and to implement key development programmes across the country.
These include free primary and secondary education, intensified construction of roads, increased electricity connections, improved access to quality health care and increased food production as a result of prompt and improved payments to farmers.
In addition to the widening of the tax base, the improvement in tax collection is also a reflection of increasing willingness to pay taxes, and by extension, reduction in tax evasion and tax avoidance. Perhaps more significant, the willingness to pay taxes is also an indication of increased trust and confidence in the Government. Indeed, the process of performance contracting has not only resulted in improved economic performance, but it has also won our country admiration at the international level.
Last year, for example, and on the strength of performance contracts, our country scooped the prestigious United Nations Public Service Award in the first category of transparency, accountability and responsiveness in public service delivery. Further, our performance contracting was also placed among the top 20 innovations in the world in the “IBM Award for Innovations in Transforming Government”. The award is administered by the Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at Harvard University. These are remarkable achievements that should be applauded by all patriotic Kenyans because they have restored the respect and dignity of our public service.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The improved performance we have recorded and the accolades we have won are the result of the hard work of our Public Servants. I personally commend these hard working public servants, and wish to assure them that my Government does not take their service to the nation for granted.
It is for this reason that my Government is determined to complete the phased harmonization of salaries for public servants whose implementation began in 2002. It is worth noting that this phased system recorded an average salary increase of 127 percent between 2003 and 2007.
To further motivate our public servants, I wish to announce that my Government will begin to roll out an incentives system based on the results that will be released today to reward excellent performance.
I have accordingly directed the Minister for Finance to make arrangements to provide for incentives to public servants in ministries, departments and public institutions which do not generate revenue. I have further directed the Minister for Finance to authorize revenue generating public institutions to pay their performing employees on the basis of a formula which has been developed by the Ministry of Finance. These incentives will, this first year, be paid to employees in the three best performing institutions, and only to the top performers in these institutions.
All public institutions will henceforth be required to fully comply with the new system to ensure equal incentives for equal performance irrespective of whether a public institution is generating revenue, regulating or giving service. Moreover, the citizen’s service delivery charter, which is a key performance indicator in public service performance contracts, is now in the process of being cascaded to grassroots public institutions to ensure that services are delivered efficiently.|
Ladies and Gentlemen, My Government focused the past five years on laying a firm foundation for the next phase of the development agenda. This next phase that will be implemented by the Grand Coalition Government will be realized through the implementation of the VISION TWENTY THIRTY beginning this year. The VISION TWENTY THIRTY will be implemented against the backdrop of the successes in the implementation of the Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation. Under Vision Twenty-Thirty, we intend to achieve an ambitious set of
goals which will require hard work and focus among all Kenyans and especially among public servants. These goals include:
1. Sustaining the free primary and secondary education;
2. Provision of clean water for all;
3. Provision of affordable health services for all;
4. Intensified infrastructure development;
5. Continued revival of industries and establishment of new ones;
6. And progressive increase in economic growth, among others.
I wish to reiterate that it is in the long-term interest of the people of Kenya to fully internalize the culture of performance contracting and particularly the citizen’s service delivery charter.
This will empower them to demand and to receive high quality service from all holders of public offices. A citizen thus empowered, will be able to demand that all other holders of public office, including the legislature, the judiciary, constitutional offices and the teaching fraternity are made accountable for results. To meet the expectations of the people, I urge all holders of public offices to cultivate a culture of hard work, integrity, innovation and meritocracy. It is only in this way that we shall also be able to compete at the global arena.
As I conclude, I wish to recognize and to personally thank the experts who negotiated
performance contracts, evaluated performance and moderated performance evaluation results.
These, as you are aware, are professional men and women drawn from the private sector, which is a clear manifestation of my Government’s commitment to strengthen public-private partnership.
Finally, I wish to commend all those who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to steer the performance contracting process from its inception to the success we are celebrating today. In this regard, I applaud the Performance Contracts Secretariat for the successful and excellent coordination of the process.
With these remarks, ladies and gentlemen, it is now my pleasure to recognize the top public service performers, and to present them with awards for their exemplary performance.
Add comment May 20th, 2008
