The Ministry of Defence (MOD) technical committee leading the development of Kenya’s first Defence Civilian Staff Policy (DCSP) on Thursday concluded a 4-day public participation exercise for regions in the Western Command of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The team led by the MOD’s Secretary for Administration Mr Isaac Masinde visited Gilgil, Lanet and Eldoret regions during which it held townhall public participation meetings with KDF leadership teams and civilian staff respectively.
In Gilgil, the meetings brought together KDF officers and MOD civilian staff from all units domicile in Kenyatta Barracks and 5KR while in Lanet participants were drawn from NDU-K, KMA, JWC, 3KR, 81TK BN, 23 OCC and Lanet Regional Hospital (LRH).
In Eldoret, the last stop for the technical team on Thursday, the public participation meetings held over two days at Recruits Training School (RTS), brought together officers and civilian staff from RTS, KOFC, 110 Bde, 31 Bn and Eldoret Regional Hospital (ERH).
At the meetings, also addressed by the MOD Director for Human Resource Management and Development Dr Lilian Nzavi and KDF’s Chief of Inspectorate Brigadier F Lobally, participants were taken through proposals in the draft DCSP that has been under development since 2021.
Participants made varied recommendations for strengthening the draft blueprint that seeks to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of civilian staff in the delivery of MOD’s constitutional mandate of defending and protecting Kenya’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by bridging identified policy, administrative and operational gaps.
Over the years, the draft DCSP has been presented to various stakeholder groups including Service Commanders, Defence Council and the National Security Council for input, and undergone benchmarking locally within MOD and internationally in the USA, UK, Sweden and Singapore (virtually).
Alongside sensitization on the draft DCSP, Mr Masinde and Dr Nzavi addressed a wide array of emerging administrative and human resources matters affecting staff across the various regions in the Western Command.
Ahead of this week’s series of public participation meetings in the Western Command, the technical team conducted a similar exercise in the Coastal region covering Kenya Navy units and Mariakani Barracks, Kenya Army HQ and Kenya Air Force HQ at Moi Airbase.
Later in the month, the technical team will be headed to the Eastern Command regions of Nanyuki, Isiolo, Garissa and Wajir regions for similar exercises.
After the conclusion of the nationwide public participation exercise, the technical team will update the draft DCSP for onward submission to the Defence Council, Public Service Commission (PSC) and National Security Council (NSC) for adoption.
As part of the ongoing public participation exercise, a dedicated email address (feedback@mod.go.ke) through which officers may continue submitting input into the draft DCSP.
Other technical team members in the Western Command public participation townhall meetings were Mr Temesi Mukani (Director, Public Communication) and Mr Willis Olwalo (Deputy Director, Supply Chain) as well as Ms Wangechi Gichangi from PSC and Lt Col Maurice Mutua.
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