Nairobi, (PSCU) President Uhuru Kenyatta today told Cabinet Secretaries, Chief Administrative Secretaries and Principal Secretaries that when it comes to managing public resources under their respective dockets, the buck stops with them.
The President said this after the CSs, CASs and PSs signed two oaths that bind them to higher standards of integrity and fidelity to the law as regards the management of public resources.
The first pledge signed by the officials was on general leadership and integrity while the second was an accountability pledge.
“You come into high office to act as the guardians of public resources, you are expected to doing much with as little as possible. Kenyans want to see their tax shillings being used prudently, resourcefully and for maximum gain for the nation,” said the President.
He stressed that the officials should know that he will take swift action against anyone found to be mismanaging public resources. “No amount of excuse will help. Each one of you will carry their own cross,” said the President at State House, Nairobi.
The signing of the pledges was conducted after the swearing in of the Chief Administrative Secretaries and new Principal Secretaries. The swearing in ceremony, which was conducted by Head of Public Service Joseph KInyua, was also witnessed by Deputy President William Ruto
The Head of State told the new senior State officials that he will expect the highest standards of integrity from them.
“My decision today that the oath of office you have taken be accompanied by an integrity and ethics code, both signed in public, is my demonstration of this commitment,” said the President. “I want to repeat, no one will be spared if caught engaging in corruption and abuse of office. The law will take its due course.”
He said he expects the officials to provide selfless service and to be dedicated to duty as they play their part in achieving the Big Four Agenda of “ a roof over many more heads at affordable cost, affordable healthcare for all, value addition and manufacturing for jobs, and ensuring that hunger becomes the story of the past.”
The CASs who were sworn in included Patrick ole Ntutu (Interior) Chris Obure (Transport and Infrastructure) Ken Obura (East Africa Community and Northern Corridor), Hussein Dado (Devolution and ASAL Areas), Colleta Suda (Energy), Dr Rashid Abdi Aman (Health), Ababu Namwamba (Foreign Affairs), Rachel Shebesh (Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs), Winnie Guchu (Water and Sanitation), Gideon Mungaro (Lands), Simon Kachapin (Education), Andrew Tumour (Agriculture), Abdul Bahari (Labour and Social Protection) and Nelson Gaichuhie (National Treasury and Planning).
The new PSs who took their oath of office were Gordon Khihalangwa (Immigration), Nelson Maria (Devolution), Macharia Kamau (Foreign Affairs), Kevit Desai (TVT), Peter Tum Kiplagat (Health), Charles Hinga (Housing and urban development), Hamadi Boga (Agriculture), Safina Kwekwe (Gender), Joseph Irungu (Water) and Julius Monzi Muia (Planning).
