Geoffrey Ruku, the nominee for the position of Public Service Cabinet Secretary, has advocated for a comprehensive review of the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) Act to delineate the commission’s functions, particularly concerning teacher recruitment and promotions.
During his appearance before the National Assembly Committee of Appointments for the vetting process on Monday, Ruku articulated that this initiative aims to mitigate allegations of corruption prevalent within the education sector.
He acknowledged his previous statements regarding corrupt practices in the promotion of teachers, drawing upon personal experiences and knowledge of colleagues who have encountered difficulties in this process.
“It is indeed true that I have publicly stated that corruption exists in the promotion of teachers. This assertion is based on my interactions with numerous classmates who are educators at both primary and secondary levels, and I am aware that they have faced challenges similar to mine during the promotion process,” Ruku remarked.
He further noted that certain teachers are unable to achieve promotions based on merit due to the corrupt actions of specific officials.
“Some individuals are denied promotions based on merit. Throughout various sub-counties in the Republic, there exist corrupt individuals within the Teachers Service Commission, as well as at the sub-county level, who solicit bribes for the promotion of teachers in both primary and secondary schools,” he stated.
Ruku expressed a sense of obligation, as a representative of Mbeere North Constituency, to denounce such malpractices and urged the TSC to hold its officers accountable for their conduct.
“I have called upon the Teachers Service Commission to put an end to the practices exhibited by some of their officers at the sub-county level,” he added.
To address these challenges, Ruku indicated that, if confirmed, he would advocate for legislative reforms.
“One potential reform would involve examining the Act that established the commission to determine whether the TSC, given its substantial size, necessitates multiple directorates managed independently by perhaps three executive managers, rather than a single individual. This could include separate oversight for the promotion and hiring of teachers, as well as the management of insurance matters,” he explained.
When questioned about his awareness that the TSC operates as an independent Constitutional Commission and would therefore not fall under his jurisdiction if appointed, Ruku affirmed, “Yes, honorable chair, I am aware. However, I also recognize that as the Cabinet Secretary responsible for Public Service, the delivery of services—whether by the police, teachers, or the judiciary—must be ensured.”
Additionally, Ruku addressed the ongoing issue of ghost workers within the public service, characterizing it as a significant impediment to governmental efficiency and resource allocation.
“My definition of ghost workers, honorable speaker, is anybody who is employed by government offering public service, will report work and appears after 10 or so minutes. We have cases where doctors or clinic officers or even nurses report to work, and within 10 minutes, honorable speaker, are out of the dispensary, out of the hospital, to other clinics within the surroundings,” he said.
To counter this, Ruku said he would implement an integrated digital system across all government institutions.
“We put a system in place which can be able to link all the government institutions… Once you go to your place of work, we are supposed to know you have reported at what time, your output, and what time did you leave your workstation.”
He further accused public procurement officers of negligence, particularly in the management of government assets.
“We have procurement officers who have ensured government vehicles which are supposed to be disposed of are lying in parking yards for years, so government ends up losing huge amounts of money,” he said.
He pointed to Executive Order 2023, which placed the transformation of public service delivery under the Ministry of Public Service, as a key pillar in implementing the digital framework.
“Having a unified digital government framework will enable us to solve some of these challenges we are facing, as far as ghost workers are concerned. It will help us in cutting the cost and ensuring that service delivery is timely, effective, and cost-efficient,” he said.
On employment, Ruku pledged to uphold the values of equity, transparency, and fairness, as enshrined in the Constitution.
“I will serve the Republic of Kenya without fear and without favour. The issues of employment will be cut across. The face of Kenya must be seen as per our Constitution, as per Article 232.”
He emphasised that gthe overnment is not an employer by default, but a facilitator for job creation.
“Government is there to create enabling environment for job creation, especially for our young people,” he said.
He also promised to streamline public service processes, including business registration.
“At the moment, it takes about a week or so for a business to be registered. We endeavour to ensure it is registered within the same day so that we can be able to create more jobs within all the sectors of our economy,” he said.
In his financial disclosures, Ruku said his net worth stands at Sh377 million. This includes land and buildings worth Sh40 million, a family residence valued at Sh60 million, shares worth Sh250 million, vehicles worth Sh12 million, and Sh15 million in savings and Sacco deposits.
