CS Moses Kuria Vows to Oust “Colonial Civil Servants” in Bid to Boost Kenyan Employment
In a bold and controversial move, Kenya’s Minister for Public Service, Moses Kuria, has declared war on what he terms as “Colonial Civil Servants,” accusing them of being the nation’s greatest enemies. Addressing the nation in a passionate speech reminiscent of his father, President Museveni’s rhetoric, Kuria vowed to overhaul the civil service, promising to prioritize merit-based contracts over the current system of entrenched bureaucracy.
Kuria’s fiery rhetoric targeted the approximately 1 million civil servants who, according to him, are draining a staggering Ksh 1.1 trillion from the nation’s coffers in salaries alone, leaving a mere fraction of the tax revenue for the rest of Kenya’s population. Describing their productivity as “near zero” and alleging widespread possession of fake certificates, Kuria minced no words in highlighting what he perceives as a gross injustice to the millions of unemployed youth in Kenya.
“They don’t give a damn about the other 53 million Kenyans,” Kuria exclaimed, painting a picture of a bureaucratic elite disconnected from the struggles of the majority. “They don’t want me to put them on contracts as they know they will not perform,” he added, signaling his intent to introduce performance-based contracts as a means to hold civil servants accountable for their output.
The Minister’s rallying cry was directed at the unemployed youth of Kenya, urging them to “dust off their CVs” in anticipation of sweeping reforms within the civil service. Promising to send the so-called Colonial Civil Servants packing, Kuria pledged to create opportunities for the younger generation through meritocratic hiring practices.
Kuria’s announcement has ignited a fierce debate across the nation, with supporters hailing his determination to shake up the status quo and critics warning of potential chaos and instability in the public sector. Nevertheless, his message resonates with many who view the entrenched bureaucracy as a barrier to progress and economic prosperity.
As Kenya braces for what could be a seismic shift in its public service landscape, all eyes are on Moses Kuria and his commitment to delivering on his promises of change. Whether he succeeds in his mission to dismantle the old guard and usher in a new era of efficiency and accountability remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the battle lines have been drawn, and the fate of Kenya’s civil service hangs in the balance