Restore the value of performance contracts

Prime Minister Raila Odinga was in order to refuse to sign performance contracts for ministries whose ministers and permanent secretaries did not show up for this annual event on Friday. That nearly half of the ministers missed the event illustrates the low regard in which they hold these important contracts.

But beyond simply berating them, as the PM did, the more pertinent question that should be asked is; why did these ministers and their permanent secretaries miss the event? It could probably be that they find no value in attending and only do so for public relations.

It could be that they have no conviction whatsoever that it will improve service delivery in the portfolios. Indeed a recent report of the Performance Contractors Department has found that performance contracts have largely failed to meet their objectives, especially that of cutting corruption in public institutions.

Public signing of performance contracts could gradually be degenerating into a media event in which the Government tries to prove to weary Kenyans it is doing something to enhance service delivery.

The performance contracting initiative has a key role in guiding the drive to the realisation of vision 2030 development objectives, since they are slowly helping us to build a national culture of rewarding merit.

What needs to be done is fine-tuning of the how they work. For example, the penalties for not meeting set targets should be more stringent.

In this regard, punishment should start at the top, meaning that underperforming ministers should first be sacked as an example to those who work under them. That would send the signal of high expectations.