The Kenyan government plans to expand the Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP) from 8,000 to 50,000 interns in January 2027. Public Service Commission (PSC) Chairperson Francis Meja has asked state corporations and public universities to declare vacancies and engage interns meaningfully. This move aims to prepare young people for the job market and address challenges faced by interns in the programme.
Meja expressed concern over instances where interns were reduced to office messengers, missing the programme's purpose of preparing them for the job market. He urged state corporations to mentor interns and address this challenge. The PSC will officially communicate with state agencies and ministries to furnish them with reports on vacancies and staffing needs to accommodate more interns.
The PSC Chairperson was speaking in Mombasa at a two-day capacity-building forum for state corporations and public universities on human resource matters. The forum aims to build capacity and reduce the number of appeals that come to the Commission, which sometimes lead to litigation in law courts. Meja cited instances where institutions were penalized due to simple processes not being followed.
The Constitution gives the Commission the function to ensure that all public agencies uphold the values and principles of the public service. The Commission guides state agencies on human resource functions, hears and determines appeals from State Corporations, Government Owned Enterprises, and Public Universities. Meja noted that the Commission has identified challenges in how state agencies handle human resource matters.
The main challenge is the failure to comply with the Constitution, the law, existing human resource policies, and the Commission's directives and resolutions. Meja cited refusal to reinstate officers and pay non-practice allowance to lawyers as examples. Such refusal has led to huge and avoidable financial costs, and officers who failed to comply have been held personally liable.
The two-day sessions will cover topics on managing human resources in state agencies, using standard presentations and real case studies. Meja emphasized that human resource management and disciplinary control do not operate in isolation but within wider policy and legal frameworks. The Mwongozo Code for State Corporations promotes ethical leadership, board effectiveness, transparency, accountability, and good corporate governance.
The PSC Chairperson affirmed that the capacity building aims to enhance institutional capacity, ethical culture, and performance management. He emphasized that fair and lawful processes build confidence, strengthen accountability, and free institutions to focus on their core mandates. The Commission seeks partnership with state agencies to exercise human resource management and disciplinary control with professionalism, consistency, and humanity.
Key points
- The Public Service Internship Programme will be expanded to 50,000 interns in January 2027.
- The programme aims to prepare young people for the job market and address challenges faced by interns.
- The Public Service Commission will guide state agencies on human resource functions and build capacity to reduce appeals and litigation.
