CS Geoffrey Ruku Declares War on Absentee Civil Servants, Vows Disciplinary Action

 

By Levin Kiprop

 Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has launched a nationwide crackdown on absenteeism and chronic lateness among government workers, warning that such practices will no longer be tolerated in the civil service.

During an unannounced inspection at the Central Regional Headquarters in Nyeri on Tuesday morning, CS Ruku delivered a strong message to public servants, declaring that any officer who fails to report to duty on time will now be treated as a “ghost worker.”

“All absentees and latecomers in the public service will be treated as ghost workers,” Ruku said. “This kind of conduct undermines the dignity and efficiency of service delivery to the public.”

The Cabinet Secretary expressed alarm at what he described as a deteriorating work ethic in the public sector. He stressed that the government is determined to restore discipline, accountability, and a culture of punctuality to ensure Kenyans receive quality services in a timely manner.

“There is a need to bring back the public service working culture under the prevailing conditions to enhance service delivery to Kenyans,” he stated. “Many Kenyans seeking government services arrive early, only to find offices closed or staff missing.”

Ruku has intensified impromptu visits to government offices in recent weeks, targeting poor attendance and lax enforcement of working hours. His findings during the Nyeri inspection painted a mixed picture: while departments like the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) and Huduma Centre recorded exemplary punctuality levels of between 98 and 100 percent, other departments posted alarming attendance rates of less than 50 percent by 8:00 a.m.

According to the 2016 Public Service Human Resource Policies and Procedures Manual, public servants are expected to work 40 hours per week from Monday to Friday. The standard working hours are 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., with slight regional adjustments for Mombasa and some northern counties, where the workday begins at 7:30 a.m.

In response to the dismal statistics, Ruku announced that his ministry will begin enforcing strict attendance policies, with human resource officers mandated to monitor and report compliance across all government departments.

“The Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes will take necessary measures to enforce compliance, guided by the outcomes of these field inspections,” Ruku said.

He warned that persistent violations of work attendance rules could attract disciplinary action, including legal consequences for gross misconduct. The crackdown is part of a broader government reform agenda aimed at improving efficiency, eliminating ghost workers, and rebuilding public trust in state institutions.

Ruku’s firm stance signals a renewed focus on work discipline within Kenya’s civil service, as the government seeks to realign the public sector with national development goals and citizen expectations.