Boards Rep's urged to uphold Public Sector accountability

Harambee House

18th July 2025

The Principal Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development, Dr. Jane Kere Imbunya, today, engaged board representatives deployed across various corporations, commissions, and agencies in a strategic consultative meeting held at Harambee House, 11th Floor Boardroom. 

The high-level forum, attended by over 13 board representatives, sought to align the representatives with the State Department’s reform agenda, strengthen institutional accountability, and deepen their understanding of their mandates.

Speaking during the session, Dr. Imbunya underscored the pivotal role that board representatives play in entrenching ethical leadership and driving results in the public sector. “Board representation is not symbolic. It is a critical lever for transparency, accountability, and improved service delivery,” she stated.

The Principal Secretary outlined ten key focus areas that board representatives are expected to uphold:

1. Understanding mandates and roles as specified in their appointment letters.

2. Promoting ethical leadership and good governance,  including familiarity with legal frameworks such as Mwongozo and the Public Finance Management Act.

3. Driving institutional performance and reforms.

4. Providing oversight in financial management, procurement, and compliance.

5. Enhancing risk management through proactive mitigation strategies.

6. Supporting human resource and talent development, including HR approvals.

7. Ensuring timely and accurate reporting to the appointing authority.

8. Submitting board meeting briefs and escalating key policy issues.

9. Staying informed on emerging sectoral issues and reforms.

10. Promoting sectoral collaboration and shared learning.

The forum provided a platform for board representatives to share experiences, raise concerns, and explore collaborative approaches to improve institutional effectiveness.

The discussions reaffirmed the State Department’s commitment to building a performance-driven culture through informed and principled board leadership.

The session concluded with a clear roadmap for the way forward, focusing on enhanced communication, timely reporting, and adherence to governance standards.