President Ruto Receives SRC’s End-of-Term Report

By Stephen Oinga

In a significant move aimed at maintaining the continuity and effectiveness of key institutions, President William Ruto pledged to ensure a transparent and orderly recruitment process for Chairpersons and Commissioners of Constitutional Commissions and Independent Offices (CCIOs).

Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on 20 August 2024, where he received End-of-Term Reports from chairpersons of various CCIOs, President Ruto acknowledged the challenges posed by the simultaneous expiration of terms for members of CCIOs.

“I am aware that in certain commissions, like SRC and Ombudsman, the terms of office for the chairperson and Commissioners expire at the same time, leaving the organisations in a state of suspense,” President Ruto stated.

To address this issue, the President emphasised the importance of uninterrupted service delivery, even in the face of delayed recruitment. He proposed pragmatic solutions to ensure that the work of these vital commissions continues without interruption.

“The Office of the Deputy President, in close consultation with the Attorney-General and CCIOs, will be tasked with preparing a bill to give effect to the legal provisions for staggered recruitment of commissioners,” President Ruto announced, signaling a proactive approach to maintaining institutional stability.

The CCIOs whose terms had come to an end, requiring a leadership transition included SRC, the Commission on Administrative Justice (Ombudsman), the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC), and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).

The President also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to the outgoing chairpersons and Commissioners for their dedication and service.

He commended their effort in advancing national discourse on fundamental rights and freedoms, promoting national values and principles of governance, enhancing inclusion and cohesion, managing public wage bills, transforming policing, and combating corruption.

In presenting the significant milestones achieved under her leadership over the last six years, Lyn Mengich particularly spotlighted the progressive reduction of the public wage-bill-to-revenue ratio from 51.5 per cent in 2018 to 46 per cent in 2024.

She highlighted SRC’s effort to freeze salary increases for State corporations and the streamlining of allowances, which resulted in savings of upto Ksh 11.2 billion, thereby freeing those resources for allocation to service delivery and the development agenda for the country.

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