Former Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation Sicily Kariuki has passed an encouraging message to her successors in cabinet.
Speaking on Wednesday in an interview, she told the CSs and Principal Secretaries that their work is not to be verbal.
“I think the President is trying to remind us that anytime you are appointed as a minister or a PS, it’s not verbal, your job description is articulated in a three-page, five-page letter,” Kariuki said on JKL live.
She was reacting to President William Ruto’s actions where on Tuesday he locked out a number of CSs from accessing the State House to sign their performance contracts.
The CSs were locked out because they arrived late to the meeting and ended up not signing their performance contracts.
President Ruto also scolded some CSs and PSsecretaries who he said have scanty information about the dockets they hold.
He said some of the CSs and PSs are clueless about what is happening in their respective departments and ministries.
“I call many PSs and ask them what is going on here and they have no clue and this is your department, that is the job that you have; you are not a messenger, you are not a security person, you are not photographer, you are not a watchman,” Ruto said.
Reacting to the President’s statement the former CS reminded the government officials that any leader called to any leadership position is playing the role of being a role model to those around them that they are serving with and those behind you in terms of generational gap.
“ I am happy that the President has called his team to order early enough. It therefore means that they are going to pull up their socks, they will know that Kenyans are watching and that they will be criticised,” Kariuki added.
Despite revealing the huge task the government officials carry, the former CS reminded them that they should be happy they were called to serve Kenyans.
“The PSs and CSs find themselves carrying a huge responsibility; no template, no training, no school. It is good to be very happy and excited about it but I think it is fair for you to know it is a privilege, you are being called to serve and not to serve yourself,”Kariuki said.
She further reminded them that they should be open to criticism as its part of their job description.
