Ruto summons ministers to sign performance contracts

President William Ruto has summoned his Cabinet Secretaries to commit to performance targets amid pressure to realise legacy plans.

Ruto will on Tuesday lead CSs and their Principal Secretaries in a performance contract signing ceremony, the second since he took over power in 2022.

The signing of the agreement is a commitment by the CSs to deliver on their priorities as captured in the Bottom-Up Transformative Agenda (Beta Plan).

The key targets must be realised by June next year. Performance contracting is a management tool that facilitates timely implementation of priority commitments for public institutions while enhancing linkages between planning, budgeting and execution of their mandate.

In an invite sent out by the head of Public Service Felix Koskei, the President directed that the CSs and the PSs must be physically present during the Tuesday event.

“His excellency, the President, will preside over the signing of the performance contracts for all ministries for the financial year 2024/2025 at State House, Nairobi on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 9am,” Koskei said in a letter dated November 12. 

“The signing ceremony marks an important step towards achieving our nation’s development goals and enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of public service delivery. The Attorney General, all Cabinet Secretaries and all Principal Secretaries must be physically present at the signing ceremony.”

Ruto was elected on a radical economic transformation agenda underpinned by the bottom-up economic model that promised to uplift the poor.

“The performance contracts for FY 2024/2025 have incorporated commitments to deliver Kenya Kwanza’s administration’s development agenda – Bottom –Up Economic Transformation Agenda (2022 - 2027), which seeks to improve livelihoods and welfare of Kenyans.”

Kenya Kwanza’s first Cabinet was accused of underperformance which is believed fueled the deadly youth-led protests.

Last year, the President also alluded to the same, indicating that a number of his ministers were clueless on the happenings in their departments.

That led to the dissolution of the Cabinet. Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Performance and Delivery, Eliud Owalo, said the exercise is a culmination of a month-long performance negotiations between ministries. During the weeks of negotiations, Cabinet secretaries were assigned targets that Ruto seeks to utilise in turning around the country’s fortunes.

Speaking to the Star, Owalo said everyone in the Public Service will be held accountable with underperformance attracting sanctions.

“Ministries, departments and agencies which meet or surpass their targets will be rewarded to a level commensurate with their performance,” Owalo said on phone.

“Equally, underperforming ministries, departments and agencies will face sanctions.”

Also in the negotiation was Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau. Amongst areas the President is focusing on to turn around the economy is the Agriculture sector.

According to the negotiated agreement, Ruto’s administration intends to give farmers 12.5 million bags of fertiliser by June next year and register 200,000 farmers on the e-voucher system.

Agriculture CS Andrew Karanja and his PSs Paul Ronoh and Jonathan Mueke are looking at rolling out the distribution of 27 high-yielding sugarcane varieties.

Karanja’s team has also committed to enhance the tea sector through the implementation of value-addition facilities and the completion of a scientific tea-tasting centre.

“Purchase and install 220 bulk milk coolers in 36 counties. Restock livestock due to drought and floods, distribute 65,334 animals to 10,208 households in 16 counties,” the negotiated document reads. 

To stimulate the coffee sector, the administration is planning to waive Sh2 billion coffee debts in the 2024- 25 financial year through Wycliffe Oparanya’s Cooperatives docket.

In the Trade ministry, the government is seeking to develop a cotton, textile and apparel policy to boost the Buy-Kenya-Build-Kenya initiative.

To encourage growth of businesses, Salim Mvurya’s Trade ministry is planning uniform county licensing regulations to enhance ease of doing business in all the 47 devolved units.

The ministry will complete the development and opening of four EPZs to increase industrial investments and contribution to export performance.

Mvurya committed to turning around the Kenya National Trading Corporation and instituting reforms to improve the investment climate and business environment.

In Alice Wahome’s Lands docket, Kenya Kwanza is planning to register and issue 280,000 title deeds this financial year.

The ministry has to digitalise land registries and offer online land services in Mombasa, Isiolo and Marsabit.