Africa Public Service Day 2025 Celebrations: A Commitment to Resilient and Citizen-Centric Governance
The Africa Public Service Day (APSD) 2025 celebrations commenced today, June 10, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) and will run through June 12, 2025. These celebrations highlight Kenya’s dedication to an evolving, resilient, and citizen-focused public service that is responsive, inclusive, and future-oriented.
Aligned with this year’s theme, “Enhancing the Agility and Resilience of Public Institutions to Achieve Equitable Governance and Rapidly Address Historical Gaps”, APSD 2025 serves as a timely reminder of Kenya’s commitment to a dynamic, accountable, and people-driven public service. It emphasizes not only performance and service delivery but also the moral obligation of public institutions to redress legacies of exclusion and unequal access. Resilience is defined as the ability to withstand and adapt to shocks; agility as the capacity to respond swiftly and effectively to emerging needs; equitable governance as inclusive decision-making and representation; and historical gaps as long-standing disparities in service delivery based on geography, gender, disability, and socioeconomic status.
During the official opening ceremony, the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Public Service, Hon. Geoffrey Ruku Kiringa, praised Kenya’s public service as a beacon of resilience and innovation. He emphasized the duty of public servants to honor taxpayers through timely, transparent, and efficient service. Noting that modern challenges demand a shift in both mindset and method, he called on public institutions to embrace digital transformation and emerging technologies—including Artificial Intelligence (AI)—to improve efficiency and accountability. He also announced the upcoming launch of the Public Service Delivery Innovation Policy, which will institutionalize a culture of continuous improvement and adaptive governance.
Meanwhile, the Principal Secretary for the State Department for Public Service and Human Capital Development, Dr. Jane Kere Imbunya, hailed public servants as “unsung heroes” and called for a renewed commitment to resilience, agility, and innovation at all levels of the civil service. She emphasized that innovation does not begin with policy alone but with individual creativity and initiative at the frontline of service.
The State Department for Foreign Affairs (SDFA) is actively participating in the celebrations through its Reviewed Foreign Policy (2024) and Strategic Plan 2023–2027, which place the citizen at the heart of its mandate. The Department has set up a booth showcasing a range of services to the public, including the authentication of key documents for use abroad—such as marriage and academic certificates, as well as trade-related documents—and the administration of privileges and immunities for diplomatic missions and international organizations operating in Kenya.
This direct engagement with citizens demonstrates the vital role of foreign service in both Kenya’s domestic development and international engagement, reaffirming that diplomacy, like all other public functions, must serve the people with integrity, innovation, and humility.
The booth not only highlights operational services but also provides citizens with access to information on Kenya’s bilateral and multilateral engagements, including instruments such as Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and treaties that benefit both the public and the country. It also serves as a crucial platform for receiving public feedback to refine and improve service delivery.
Amb. Michael Kiboino, Secretary for Foreign Service Administration, visited the SDFA booth and expressed pride in the Department’s progress in digital transformation. He encouraged members of the public to continue engaging with ongoing initiatives through accessible platforms.
He also reaffirmed the Department’s commitment to modernization, highlighting reforms such as the digitization of document authentication services, the online portal for the administration of diplomatic privileges, and upcoming plans to automate other core functions. These efforts form part of a broader agenda to build a responsive, efficient, and transparent foreign service aligned with global best practices. Amb. Kiboino further acknowledged the essential role of feedback from citizens and diplomatic partners in refining services, underscoring the Department’s openness to participatory governance and continuous learning.
As the APSD 2025 celebrations progress, Kenya reaffirms its unwavering commitment to building a future-ready public service that serves with integrity, innovation, and a deep sense of public duty.