By Michelle Ndaga
The government will soon begin monitoring civil servants’ work hours and attendance through a new digital application, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has announced.
The platform, set to go live by the end of October, will record staff arrival and departure times, leave status, and real-time attendance. According to Ruku, the initiative is designed to enhance efficiency, accountability, and transparency across government offices.
“We must raise our standards to serve the people better. Lateness and laxity will no longer be tolerated in government offices,” Ruku told staff at the Eastern Region headquarters in Embu on Monday.
The CS described the app as a “game changer” in combating absenteeism and low productivity, aligning public service with private-sector practices where employee monitoring software is widely used. Platforms like Hubstaff and Teramind, popular in industries such as finance and healthcare, offer time-tracking, productivity analysis, and compliance monitoring to boost performance.
“People in the private sector understand that success requires hard work. Public servants must match that energy if we are serious about national transformation,” Ruku said.
During his Embu visit, Ruku highlighted disparities in punctuality among departments. While staff at Huduma Centre and the Immigration Department reported early, the Lands Department had only one officer and a cleaner present by 8 a.m. “We cannot condone such negligence. Public officers must take responsibility,” he emphasized.
Some latecomers were locked out of their offices, and the CS warned that similar disciplinary measures would continue until full compliance is achieved.
The digital monitoring system, Ruku noted, is part of broader reforms aimed at improving service delivery and instilling a culture of discipline in the public sector.
