EMBU, Kenya – Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has announced that the government is developing a digital application to monitor the productivity and attendance of all civil servants nationwide.
The platform, set to go live by the end of October, will record employees’ arrival and departure times, leave status, and real-time attendance.
According to Ruku, the move is designed to curb absenteeism and laxity in public offices while boosting efficiency, accountability, and transparency.
“We must raise our standards to serve the people better. Lateness and laxity will no longer be tolerated in government offices,” Ruku said on Monday during a visit to the Eastern Region headquarters in Embu Town.
The CS described the system as a “game changer” in enforcing discipline within the civil service, echoing monitoring tools already common in the private sector.
Globally, platforms such as Hubstaff and Teramind are used by businesses to track time, analyze productivity, and enforce compliance in sectors like finance, healthcare, and remote work.
“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 visit, the CS highlighted disparities in punctuality across government departments in Embu.
While staff at the Huduma Centre and Immigration Department reported on time, he noted that the Lands office had only one officer and a cleaner present at 8 a.m.
“At the Lands office, only one staff member and a cleaner were present by 8 a.m. We cannot condone such negligence. Public officers must take responsibility,” he said, adding that late staff were locked out of their offices as a disciplinary measure.
Ruku said such actions would continue until full compliance is achieved across the public service.
