A total of 432 Assistant County Commissioners (ACCs) graduated with Diplomas in Public Administration as the Kenya School of Government (KSG) marked its centenary with a renewed focus on equipping public servants for the digital era, including the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Speaking during the graduation ceremony at KSG’s Kabete Campus on Monday, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku urged public officers to embrace emerging technologies, saying Kenya is positioning itself as a leader in AI innovation in Africa.
Ruku encouraged civil servants to take advantage of the Kenya School of Government’s training programmes to acquire skills that will enable them to effectively serve citizens in an increasingly digital public sector.
The graduation also saw more than 1,000 public officers receive various professional certifications, while 530 newly appointed Deputy County Commissioners (DCCs) completed their induction programme held across the institution’s Kabete, Baringo, Matuga and Mombasa campuses.
Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr Raymond Omollo said the Kenya School of Government has played a critical role in building the country’s public administration capacity over the past century.
He noted that the institution has trained thousands of National Government Administration Officers (NGAOs), whose network now comprises more than 18,000 officers responsible for coordinating government programmes, promoting peace and security, and delivering public services at the grassroots.
“It is fitting that, during this centenary year, we are graduating and inducting officers who will carry forward the next chapter of public administration,” Dr Omollo said.
He revealed that the 432 newly graduated ACCs join another 802 officers who recently completed the same Diploma in Public Administration programme and graduated during a ceremony presided over by President William Ruto.
According to Dr Omollo, the programme represents the largest number of NGAO officers ever trained and promoted at the same time, helping to address long-standing career stagnation within the service.
He said the State Department had worked closely with the Kenya School of Government to expand training opportunities and facilitate promotions in line with the NGAO Scheme of Service following a directive by President Ruto.
Among the promotions, 394 Assistant County Commissioners and Assistant Secretaries have been elevated to Senior Assistant County Commissioners and Senior Assistant Secretaries, while 431 Senior Assistant County Commissioners and Senior Assistant Secretaries have been appointed as Deputy County Commissioners.
An additional 100 officers have also been promoted to the rank of Under Secretary.
Dr Omollo said the appointment of 530 Deputy County Commissioners strengthens the sub-county as the primary point of interaction between citizens and the national government, noting that Kenya has more than 400 sub-counties compared to 290 constituencies, giving the government a broader service delivery network.
He added that the training is designed to enhance coordination of government services at the local level and supports the implementation of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and ongoing security sector reforms.
The event was attended by Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, Public Service Principal Secretary Dr Jane Imbunya, Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Kenya School of Government Chairperson Justice (Rtd) Charles Nyachae, Director General Prof. Nura Mohamed and other senior government officials.
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