PSC warns civil servants to steer clear of politics ahead of by-elections

IEBC ballot box during a past election in Kibra, Nairobi. (Photo: IEBC/X)

By Maureen Kinyanjui
Saturday, October 25, 2025

Officers intending to run for elective positions were reminded to comply with the law requiring them to resign within seven days of the announcement of the vacancies.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) has cautioned all government employees against taking part in political campaigns or activities linked to the upcoming by-elections set for November 27.

The commission stressed that the public service must remain impartial and free from political influence during the electoral period.

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In a circular signed by PSC vice chairperson Mary Kimonye, officers intending to run for elective positions were reminded to comply with the law requiring them to resign within seven days of the announcement of the vacancies.

“Any public officer aspiring to contest in the by-elections must have resigned from their position within seven days of the declaration of the vacancies,” reads the circular.

The directive is meant to draw a clear line between public duties and political ambitions, ensuring that no civil servant uses their official capacity to gain an upper hand in the elections.

To enforce this, the PSC has ordered heads of departments, state corporations, universities, and agencies to submit lists of officers who have tendered their resignations to pursue elective posts.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has scheduled the by-elections to fill 24 vacant seats across Parliament and county assemblies following court nullifications and deaths of previous office holders.

The mini-polls are being viewed as an important test of political strength for both the ruling coalition and opposition parties.

Kimonye’s circular draws attention to various legal provisions governing political conduct within the public sector, including the Political Parties Act, Leadership and Integrity Act, and the newly introduced Conflict of Interest Act of 2025.

These laws bar public officers from participating in any political activity that may undermine or appear to undermine their neutrality.

Specifically, Section 12(c) and (d) of the Political Parties Act prohibit civil servants from engaging in political activity that could compromise the neutrality of their positions.

The Leadership and Integrity Act, alongside the Public Service Code of Conduct and Ethics, equally forbids officers from acting as agents of political parties or promoting political interests while in office.

The commission noted that the reminder was necessary to uphold integrity in public institutions and protect the service from political interference.

The circular also signals a renewed government effort to strictly enforce the Conflict of Interest Act and other ethics laws in the run-up to the by-elections.