NAIROBI, Kenya – The government is developing a mobile application to monitor the movements and work patterns of public servants in a bold move to curb absenteeism and boost productivity in the public sector.
Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku said all civil servants will be required to install the app on their mobile phones, allowing the state to track their location and log their work hours in real time.
“The ministry has embarked on a project to develop a mobile application which every civil servant in the Republic will be required to download,” Ruku announced during a visit to Samburu. “It will enable us to know whether you are at your workstation, on leave, attending a workshop — what time you reported and what time you left.”
The app, he said, is part of a broader accountability drive, amid concerns over rising cases of late reporting and absenteeism in government offices.
Ruku’s remarks follow a series of unannounced visits to government offices across the country, where he reportedly found several offices closed even past 8 a.m., with citizens waiting outside for service. The most recent inspection in Nyeri exposed the same trend.
“I want to urge all public servants to serve Kenyans diligently and get to their workstations on time,” the CS said. “We cannot continue paying salaries to people who don’t do any meaningful work.”
The proposed system is expected to flag any civil servant absent during official working hours, including those who report late or leave without clearance.
Those found flouting the rules risk being categorised as “ghost workers” and could face disciplinary action.
“Anyone drawing a salary from the government must be responsible, just as the President is responsible. Everyone must take their job seriously — that is the only way we can develop our nation,” Ruku said.
The initiative is part of President William Ruto’s push to reform the public service and restore discipline, especially at a time when the government is under pressure to streamline wage bills and improve service delivery.
