President Ruto Directs PSC to Expand Internship Programmes and Digitise Public Service

President William Ruto has instructed the Public Service Commission (PSC) to significantly increase the number of internships available within the public service. Speaking after a meeting with PSC officials at State House, Nairobi, on July 29, the Head of State emphasized the need to provide more opportunities for college and university graduates to gain practical work experience.

"The PSC should expand the internship programme to provide workplace experience to many more college and university graduates and perfect performance contracting to measure the impact of public servants in the service to Kenyans," President Ruto said.

Kenya annually produces between 50,000 and 80,000 university graduates, with even higher numbers when including vocational and tertiary institutions. This directive comes shortly after PSC launched 3,000 internship slots under Cohort 9 of its Public Service Internship Programme for the 2026/2027 cycle, with applications closing on August 17, 2026.

The 12-month internships, which are non-renewable, offer government stipends across various ministries, agencies, and public universities. The programme aims to equip graduates with job-ready skills and prepare them for future roles within the public sector.

Data from the Federation of Kenya Employers shows that less than 40% of university graduates transition smoothly into the workforce annually, while youth unemployment for ages 15 to 34 remains at 67%.

Push for Digital Transformation in Public Service

In the same meeting, President Ruto called for a comprehensive overhaul of the public service, urging a move away from manual processes towards full digitalisation to improve service delivery and efficiency.

"Digitalisation must be institutionalised at the PSC, shifting the organisation away from manual and paper-heavy systems towards data-driven and automated models to increase efficiency and create value," he stated.

This directive aligns with recent warnings from Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku, who stressed that all government entities must adopt the Integrated Human Resource and Payroll System (HRPS) to eliminate issues like ghost workers, which have resulted in significant financial losses as highlighted in Auditor General reports.