‘I can work from anywhere’ – CS Kuria downplays reports of office conflict with Mudavadi
Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management, Moses Kuria, insists there is no rift between him and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
The two leaders have reportedly been feuding over the locations of their offices following a recent Cabinet reshuffle that saw Kuria moved from the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry and Mudavadi take over the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
Following the changes, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, in an internal memo, directed that Mudavadi's expanded docket be situated at the old Treasury building located on Harambee Avenue.
Koskei, who doubles up as State House Chief of Staff, also directed that Kuria's docket be housed at the Kenya Railways building off Haile Sellasie Avenue.
The memo is said to have created a contention as the Kenya Railways building had previously been assigned to Mudavadi in President William Ruto's Executive Order No. 1.
The Prime CS has been working from the Treasury building awaiting completion of renovation works at Railways.
Addressing the matter shortly after taking over the Public Service docket from CS Aisha Jumwa on Monday, October 16, Kuria downplayed claims of a rift between him and Mudavadi, saying he was comfortable working from anywhere.
Kuria also noted that he would continue working from Harambee House, revealing that Mudavadi had requested to work from Railways.
"On the issue of offices, I think the communication from the government was clear that this ministry was supposed to be headquartered at the Old Kenya Railways headquarters but the Prime Cabinet Secretary has requested I leave that space to him.
"As I said, there is a friend of mine called Reverend Maina at OTC. I am his neighbour and I can work from anywhere. Mimi ni mtu wa kiwanja...mimi ni mtu wa street," Kuria stated.
Kuria vows to transform public service
During the handover ceremony, Kuria said he would transform the department from an employment mentality department to a service delivery department.
"It's my vision that I'll be able to transit public servants from public employment, where most of them believe they are in, to public service where the 900,000 of us should be, to serve the 54 million Kenyans as they deserve," Kuria stated.
"Delivery and performance of civil servants has been dear to my heart, and am here to re-engineer deliverance of Govt services to the people of this country as H.E.President William Ruto desires."
Kuria vowed to have a microscopic eye on all projects being done in the country, and also relieve President Ruto of the task of following up on the progress of government projects.
"I will have a microscopic view of all projects done in this country be it National or County governments. We have no time to waste and everybody must be ready to work extra hard to make sure all these projects are completed on time. No time for laziness. I'll henceforth relieve the President of the task of following up on the progress of the government's projects and moving around this country ensuring all is well," he added.
