Fiery Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i is poised to take up a powerful docket in new plans that will see the creation of a centralized unit for all ministries.
The plan, dubbed, “One-Government Approach” aims to link all government ministries to the counties, offices of the regional commissioners and trickle down to chiefs and assistant chiefs.
The aim is to improve service delivery to citizens from the government sector which many gave decried that its performance is dismal.
The Interior ministry has been mapped out as the docket that will act at the behest of all this. All operations will be coordinated here.
Already, the ministries of Energy, Education and Transport and Infrastructure are ready for the synchronization.
Matiang’i while speaking at the Kenya School of Government yesterday said there aim is to ensure there is proper service delivery to every other Kenyan.
“As time goes by, we will continue making arrangements with the other ministries because it is the hope of the President that the government will work as one unit. This will be done to the grassroots level through national government representatives,” said the CS as quoted by the Star.
In the new plan, County Commissioners will be roped in to countersign all contract certificates for government projects before contractors are paid.
This is to improve accountability within the government sector.
“The county commissioners were retained to link the government to the grassroots, We want to use the one-government approach to ensure it works. The commissioners are essential to ensure good work is done,” Transport CS James Macharia said.
KPLC functions will be taken back to the counties and will be overseen by the County Commissioner.
“KPLC officials in the counties will now be directly under the county commissioners,” Energy CS Charles Keter said.
Matiang’i has also proposed that the Education Act be amended to slot County Commissioners to chair school boards.
“We want a scenario where the county commissioners will know what happens in schools and give genuine recommendations on how to make education in those regions better,” Matiang’i said.