PSC warns against sexual harassment of interns

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The Public Service Commission (PSC) has put on notice senior government officers who have been sexually harassing interns deployed to the various ministries.

The commission said it had received disturbing reports of increased sexual exploitation and psychological torture against interns, with some cases leading to suicides.

This comes a couple of months after young lawyers and interns demonstrated in Nairobi over alleged sexual harassment and exploitation by their seniors.

According to the commission chairperson, Francis Meja, officers implicated in the unfortunate incidents will face disciplinary action, including dismissal from service and criminal charges.

Meja, while addressing tens of mentors under the internship program on a week-long training, tasked the officers to report any incidents of abuse and take prompt action against such officers.

“We have received reports of sexual harassment targeting interns in various State departments, and we are putting on notice these predators that their days are numbered,” he said.

Meja said the internship program, which started in 2019, had offered space for graduates to acquire key experiences, noting that over 34,000 interns have so far benefited.

He added that the commission has this year posted 8,268 interns to Ministries, Departments and Agencies, with 3,134 intern alumni securing permanent jobs.

The chairperson called out a relaxed nature of public officers, which had affected government productivity despite the less than 1 million workers gobbling over sh. 1 trillion in salaries and allowances.

“Studies by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission have noted that the private sector was three times more productive than the public service,” said Meja.

Meja tasked the officers who will be mentors to the interns under the Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP) to guide and expose the graduates to the needed experience and inculcate integrity and professionalism.

On his part, the commission's Chief Executive Officer, Paul Famba, regretted that some government officials had forced interns to undertake menial jobs and run errands on their behalf, noting that the practice has to change.

Famba said the mentors in various MDAs were expected to protect the interns from abuse and create an enabling environment for them to sharpen their skills and excel.

Commissioner Irene Asienga said the internship programme was implemented after concerns over increased unemployment in the country and had exposed beneficiaries to gain job experiences.

Asienga said the government had ensured that the interns who spend one year on job experience receive a monthly stipend to facilitate their operations.

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