Dr. Muoria Leads Tree Planting, Calls for Stronger Public Service Accountability

By Michael Ochieng

Principal Secretary for the State Department of Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Dr. Esther Thaara Muoria, on Thursday, September 18, led a tree planting exercise at the Kenya School of Government in Embu.

The activity was part of the build-up events for this year’s Mazingira Day celebrations.

The exercise was followed by the closing ceremony of a capacity-building workshop for members of the Human Resource Management Advisory Committee (HRMAC), held at the same venue.

In her keynote address, Dr. Muoria underscored the importance of continuous training in transforming Kenya’s public service, describing capacity building as the backbone of accountability, efficiency, and citizen-centered governance.

“The true measure of this training will not be the sessions you attended, but the leadership you now provide—leadership that strengthens governance, enhances accountability, and delivers services with the citizen at the center,” she said.

The workshop, attended by HRMAC members, secretariat staff, and officials from the Public Service Commission (PSC), focused on enhancing decision-making in performance management, staff welfare, grievance handling, and integrity.

Grounding her message in Article 232 of the Constitution, Dr. Muoria called for a responsive, merit-based, inclusive, and accountable public service.

She lauded the PSC’s decentralization of human resource functions, noting that it has made state departments, including TVET, more agile and responsive.

“Discipline rooted in integrity ensures public office remains a trust, not a privilege,” Dr. Muoria added, urging officials to apply the lessons learned to improve performance and strengthen accountability.