This archive report was first published on 2 July 2019.
Kenya's Public Service Commission has proposed a radical new policy to address the country's unsustainable public wage bill. From July 1, hiring in the public sector will be done on a three-year contract basis. However, critics argue that this approach is just another short-sighted solution to a complex problem.
Stephen Kirogo, chairman of the PSC, has described the public service as 'bloated, lethargic and unproductive.' He believes that a 'brutal approach' is needed to address the issue, but his proposal has been met with skepticism by many.
The PSC's plan is reminiscent of a previous crisis in the education sector, where students were running amok and setting fire to their schools. In response, officials proposed a range of solutions, including bringing back corporal punishment and blaming Western education models. However, these proposals were widely criticized as knee-jerk reactions that failed to address the root causes of the problem.
Similarly, the PSC's proposal to end permanent and pensionable employment in the public sector is unlikely to solve the problem of an unsustainable public wage bill. In fact, it may even exacerbate the issue by creating a culture of short-term contracts and favoritism.
The real problem is not the public wage bill itself, but the societal attitudes and behaviors that contribute to it. Politicians and state officials see themselves as an aristocracy entitled to vast sums of public money, and the country's legislators are among the highest paid in the world. The presidential entourage is also excessively large, and the deputy president's frequent campaign trips around the country are a waste of scarce resources.
Ultimately, the PSC's proposal is a missed opportunity to address the root causes of the public wage bill problem. Instead of penalizing ordinary civil servants for the insatiable greed and wastage of state officials and politicians, the commission should be working to create a more sustainable and equitable public sector.
Tee Ngugi is a Nairobi-based political commentator.
