Nairobi: The Public Service Commission has put senior government officials on notice over their involvement in the sexual harassment and abuse of interns deployed in various ministries. The Commission said it had received disturbing reports of increased sexual exploitation and psychological torture of interns, with some cases resulting in suicide.
According to Kenya News Agency, PSC Chairman Francis Meja stated that officers implicated in the incidents would face disciplinary action, including dismissal from service and prosecution. Meja, who was addressing tens of mentors under the internship programme during a week-long training, tasked the officers to report any incidents of abuse and take prompt action against those found culpable.
Meja highlighted that the internship programme, which started in 2019, offers graduates a platform to acquire key work experience, noting that more than 37,000 interns had so far benefited. He added that the Commission had this year posted 8,268 interns to Ministries, Departments and Agencies, with 3,134 intern alumni securing permanent employment in national and county governments.
The PSC Chair also raised concerns over laxity at work by public officers, which had negatively affected government productivity. He noted that fewer than one million workers were drawing more than Sh1 trillion in salaries and allowances annually. ‘Studies by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission have noted that the private sector is three times more productive compared to the public service,’ Meja said.
Meja tasked officers serving as mentors to interns under the Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP) to guide and expose the graduates to the requisite experience and to instill integrity and professionalism in them. Commission’s Chief Executive Officer Paul Famba expressed regret that some government officials had forced interns to undertake menial tasks and run personal errands, emphasizing that the practice had to change.
Famba stated that mentors across the various MDAs were expected to protect interns from abuse and create an enabling environment for them to sharpen their skills and excel. Commissioner Dr. Irene Asienga said the internship programme had been implemented in response to concerns over rising unemployment in the country and had enabled beneficiaries to gain practical work experience. Asienga added that the government had ensured that interns, who spend one year on attachment, receive a monthly stipend to support their daily needs.
