NAIROBI,Kenya, Jul 6- Kenya School of Government (KSG) has launched an ambitious push to accelerate the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across the public service as it celebrated its 100th anniversary and graduated 432 Assistant County Commissioners (ACCs) with Diplomas in Public Administration.
Speaking during the centenary celebrations at KSG’s Kabete Campus, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes, Geoffrey Ruku, said the institution would play a central role in equipping public servants with AI skills to position Kenya as a continental leader in digital governance.
Ruku urged civil servants to embrace emerging technologies, saying AI would transform government operations and improve public service delivery.
“All public servants should take advantage of the Kenya School of Government to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to harness opportunities presented by Artificial Intelligence as Kenya positions itself to become a leader in Africa,” he said.
The graduation ceremony also saw more than 1,000 public officers receive various professional certifications, while the induction of 530 newly appointed Deputy County Commissioners (DCCs), conducted across KSG campuses in Baringo, Kabete, Matuga and Mombasa, concluded.
Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Dr Raymond Omollo said the graduation marked another milestone in strengthening the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) network, which comprises more than 18,000 officers coordinating government programmes, security and service delivery at the grassroots.
“It is fitting that, during this centenary year, we are graduating and inducting officers who will carry forward the next chapter of public administration,” he said.
Omollo noted that the 432 graduates join 802 NGAO officers who had recently completed the same Diploma in Public Administration programme, describing the initiative as the largest training and promotion exercise ever undertaken for the cadre.
“This training programme has seen the largest number of NGAO officers ever trained and promoted at one time,” he said, adding that many officers had been promoted and cases of career stagnation addressed.
He said the State Department had partnered with KSG to expand training opportunities and unlock career progression in line with President William Ruto’s directive and the NGAO Scheme of Service.
According to the PS, 394 Assistant County Commissioners and Assistant Secretaries have been promoted to Senior Assistant County Commissioners and Senior Assistant Secretaries, while another 431 Senior Assistant County Commissioners and Senior Assistant Secretaries have been appointed as Deputy County Commissioners.
A further 100 officers have been promoted to the rank of Under Secretary.
Omollo said the appointment of 530 Deputy County Commissioners would strengthen sub-counties as the government’s primary interface with citizens, noting that Kenya’s more than 400 sub-counties provide a broader administrative footprint than the country’s 290 constituencies.
He added that the training programme supports the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) and ongoing institutional reforms aimed at enhancing security coordination, public administration and service delivery at the grassroots.
Among senior government officials who attended the ceremony were Attorney General Dorcas Oduor, Public Service Principal Secretary Dr Jane Imbunya, Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, KSG Chairperson Justice (Rtd) Charles Nyachae, and KSG Director General Prof. Nura Mohamed.