In the age of digital revolutions and corporate reinventions, our Government still walks with a limp, burdened by tired buildings, obsolete equipment, and outdated human resource culture.
The need for a facelift, not just cosmetic but structural, has never been more urgent.
It begins with the basics: buildings. Many Government offices, from County headquarters to regional commissioner outposts, project a grim and uninspiring image. Peeling walls, broken furniture, dusty corridors, and aging signage are the norm.
For a citizen seeking services, the experience is underwhelming. For a first-time visitor or investor, it can be outright discouraging.
Renovation must start with the physical: repainting walls, repairing plumbing, replacing broken doors, and updating signage. But it must quickly move to the symbolic: transparency. Imagine open plan offices with glass walls that reflect accountability, welcome scrutiny, and project openness. That is the Government we should aim for.
Our hardware systems, office equipment, IT infrastructure, transport fleets, equally need urgent repair and modernization. Why should a senior Government official be using a squeaky typewriter in 2025?
Why do citizens still encounter “system down” notices in Government offices when they have been promised automation? Efficiency is not just about promises; it is about functionality. It is about having well oiled systems that deliver quickly and accurately.
Commendably, Kenya has made significant strides in digital payments and e-services, particularly through the eCitizen platform.
Today, most payments for Government services are cashless and paperless. That is a milestone worth celebrating. But we must go further. We must align our digital intentions with physical reality.
A true modernization must involve upgrading the Government’s software, its people. Human resource practices must evolve. Civil servants must be retooled, retrained, and reenergized.
The era of clock watching, file hoarding, and bureaucratic lethargy should be left behind. Instead, let us have agile teams, KPIs, digital dashboards, and open workspaces where productivity can be measured and celebrated.
Even the vehicles that ferry officials should reflect efficiency and value for money. Modern, ecofriendly fleets that project a responsible and responsive Government, not fuel guzzling guzzlers stuck in Nairobi traffic, chasing escorts and burning taxpayer money.
It is time to reimagine Government as a corporate brand, vibrant, responsive, clean, and trustworthy. A Government that does not just serve but inspires. One that does not just function but leads by example.
If citizens are expected to respect the Government, the Government must first respect itself in how it looks, sounds, and operates.
Fresh is not just a smell, it is a standard.
