President William Ruto has issued a firm warning to Cabinet Secretaries and public servants, urging them to meet the expectations of Kenyans in service delivery. Speaking at State House, Nairobi, during the signing of the second-generation Ministerial Performance Contracts for the 2024/2025 financial year, Ruto emphasized that his administration will not tolerate excuses or delays in achieving results.
“There is no room for excuses or delayed failure. Accountability must cascade through all levels of ministries, departments, and agencies to individual officers,” Ruto stated. He underscored that Cabinet Secretaries must take full responsibility for the performance targets outlined in their ministry contracts.
To ensure progress, the President introduced a performance report card for each ministry, which will be assessed annually. “Excellence, integrity, efficiency, and consistency will be rewarded, while failure, negligence, waste, and misconduct will prompt corrective action,” Ruto explained. This performance scorecard, he added, would serve as a key tool for accountability, bringing recognition for good performance and consequences for failure.
Ruto also emphasized that performance contracts are not merely formalities but serious commitments aimed at advancing the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda. “I fully expect to see continuous improvement in the responsiveness, efficiency, and integrity of our officers, both collectively and individually,” he said.
Reflecting on the past success of performance contracting, the President noted that it has proven effective in ensuring the proper use of public resources and fulfilling citizens’ expectations. As part of these efforts, Ruto directed the National Treasury to release budgetary allocations on time, stressing that delays in funding should never be used as an excuse for poor service delivery.
In support of this drive for greater accountability, President Ruto also introduced a new office focused on Performance and Delivery Management within the Executive Office of the President. This office will help ministries address performance gaps and implement corrective actions swiftly.
