The Solicitor General Mr. Shadrack Mose has asked staff in the Attorney General`s (AG) office and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to ensure the targets of the State Law office are met this financial year.
Mose said the introduction of Performance Contracting by the government was meant to improve service delivery to the Kenyan people and also serve as a guide to the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in their implementation of policies, programs, projects and activities outlined in each financial year.
“By signing the Performance Contract, you commit yourself and your respective departments to achieve specific service delivery targets that are verifiable, and therefore, can be evaluated. My expectation is that you will dedicate your efforts in the realization of those set targets,” he said.
The SG noted that it is for this reason that the Performance Contract must be seen as a tool of management that enhances accountability for results against resources that have been entrusted to respective departments.
Mose was speaking in Naivasha on Wednesday during the signing of the Performance Contracts for the Financial Year (FY) 2023/24 with officers from the Office of the Attorney General (AG) and Department of Justice.
The SG who is the Accounting Officer of the State Law office observed that although the office had done well in performance ranking in the last three financial years, there was an instance where there was a drop in performance in the 2021/22 Financial Year, where the State Law office was ranked position five out of 25.
“This was not a good score for the Office and I look forward to improved performance for this Financial Year. I believe we have the requisite capacity and support to attain position one (1), nationally, and I call upon you to work towards this goal,” Mose stated.
To this end, he called upon the officers to leverage the lessons learned from the last performance contracting cycle and develop deliberate strategies to implement the contracted targets and improve their performance this Financial Year and reaffirmed his commitment to providing them with the necessary support needed to meet and even surpass their targets.
Consequently, the SG called on the heads of departments to show leadership and guide their staff to be innovative, adopt best practices; and put in place systems and structures that will enable the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice to achieve its set and contracted targets.
“As we sign the Performance Contracts, I urge you not to view this exercise as a ritual, but to recognize that the Performance Contract places a responsibility on each one of you to ensure the implementation of your respective department’s contracted targets,” the SG said adding that there must be willingness and determination to achieve the set targets.
Mose reiterated that he had an open door policy with his Heads of Departments (HODs) and advised them to embrace the culture of consultation and work together to ensure that they deliver on mandates of their office effectively and efficiently and encouraged them to inform him of any gaps in performance accompanying this information with relevant factual justification – in good time, for necessary intervention.
“Let us instill in our various teams a hope for a successful Attorney General`s office and the Department of Justice (DOJ) and ensure that everyone is performing to their best ability, doing the work they are required to do, and doing it well,” stated the SG.
The SG said although the State Law office had made major strides in its service to Kenyans, it was facing various challenges such as a shortage of State Counsels who handle various legal matters in the Government, and inadequate funding but the Government was working to resolve these issues.
“The Kenya Kwanza administration has set its prime agenda to see to it that the State Law office is fully supported to achieve its agenda as this will ultimately help the Government to achieve its agenda,” Mose said.
By Mabel Keya – Shikuku
