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CEP template 2012

E x c e l l e n c e i n p u b l i c s e r v i c e : D e l i v e r y a n d r e f o rm Taking cognisance of the skill and competency situation of the newly acquired staff in county governments, the PSC, in concert with other state and non-state agencies, has mounted numerous training programmes aimed at preparing public officers in both national and county governments to discharge their functions better. As well as this, the commission has made deliberate steps to second public officers for county governments so as to support the delivery of public services at middle and senior management levels. Another of the major contributions of the PSC in the implementation of new HRM architecture in the public service is the development of policies, guidelines and manuals that set the standards for the conduct and obligations of public officers, their rights and responsibilities, performance expectations and a framework for managing HR. Examples of these resources can be found in Figure 1. The following two policies are the latest examples of PSC policy implementation on enhancing HRM under the devolved system: • Policy on co-ordination of national government: this policy provides a framework that establishes a bureaucracy of administrative officers headed by county commissioners to whom the head of state has delegated powers to co-ordinate and oversee national government functions at the county level • Policy on decentralised HRM: the broad objective of this policy is to decentralise HRM in each ministry in the civil service to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery, enhance transparency and accountability in recruitment and selection, and reduce bureaucracy Interventions by the executive arm of government In line with the requirements of the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution of Kenya, the national government, through the relevant ministries and agencies, has transferred 13 out of the 14 functions allocated to county governments. The transfer of these functions has been critical to the full function of the devolved Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2014/15 54 Figure 1: Selected PSC policies and guidelines Policy/guideline/ manual County human resource manual Guidelines on management of public officers seconded to county governments Policy on hearing and determining appeals from county government public service Policy on decentralisation of human resource management in the civil service Framework for strengthening the delivery of national government functions at the county level Guidelines on declaration of income, assets and liabilities Scope of application County governments National and county governments County governments Public service National and county governments, and public service Public service Policy objective/purpose This manual details the organisation of government, terms and conditions of employment, performance management, code of conduct, salaries and advances, allowances, medical benefits, training and development, labour relations, health and safety, and terminal benefits The broad objective of these guidelines is to inform the county governments on how to manage the various categories of public officers seconded to county governments effectively to ensure a seamless transition without interfering with service delivery To provide a framework for consistency, uniformity, fairness and efficiency in hearing appeals from the county public services The broad objective of the policy is to decentralise human resource management in the civil service to ensure effectiveness and efficiency in service delivery, enhance transparency and accountability and reduce bureaucracy Provides a framework that establishes a bureaucracy of administrative officers to whom the head of state can delegate powers to coordinate and direct national government policy at the county level These administrative guidelines are issued to assist and simplify the administration of Part IV of the Public Officer Ethics Act, 2003. The guidelines amplify the Public Officer Ethics (Public Service Commission) Administrative Procedures, 2009 issued as legal notice No 76 of 2009 Implications for HRM • Decentralisation of public service • Good governance in human resource management and development • Provisions on ethical practice for public officers • Human resource management • Decentralisation of public service • Good governance in county governments • Provisions on ethical practice for public officers • Entrenches good governance by according county public offices the right to redress • Entrenches fairness and timely delivery of administrative justice • Decentralisation of human resource management • Efficiency and effectiveness in human resource management • Efficiency and effectiveness in the co-ordination of functions of the national government at county level • Institutionalisation of ethical practice among public officers


CEP template 2012
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