The government has officially signaled the end of the road for thousands of civil servants clinging to office past their time, in a move to tame Kenya’s expanding public wage bill.
Principal Secretary for Public Service, Dr. Jane Kere Imbunya, has issued a strict notice enforcing the mandatory retirement age, transitioning what was once a suggestion into a non-negotiable exit.
The directive, which takes effect immediately, targets all public officers who have attained the age of 60 years.
For persons living with disabilities, the mandatory exit age remains fixed at 65 years. Crucially, the PS has made it clear that the era of special considerations and contract extensions is over.
Letters are already being dispatched to affected officers, ensuring they proceed to retirement without delay.
This enforcement is not just about age, it is a strategic payroll purge. By linking retirement notices directly to the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Database (IPPD), the ministry aims to automatically lock out anyone who should have exited the system.
This move is expected to:
Eliminate Ghost Workers: The PS has revised the payroll closure date to the 18th of every month to catch discrepancies and ensure only legitimate staff are paid.
Create Youth Employment: By clearing the top-heavy payroll, the government intends to create fiscal space and entry-level opportunities for the millions of young Kenyans currently locked out of the workforce.
PS Imbunya described this exercise as a legacy project aimed at restoring efficiency and integrity to the public sector.
While the notice has caused ripples of panic among long-serving staff, the National Treasury maintains that these measures are essential to ensure the timely and effective payment of pensions for those who have served their term honorably.