APRM • SECOND COUNTRY REVIEW REPORT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA • Coordination and Alignment of Reform Programmes: The development and implementation of a comprehensive and cohesive Public Sector reform strategy at the national level has enhanced the coordination and alignment of reform programmes, but this needs to be aligned with reform efforts at the county level; and • The widespread perception of corruption and ethno-regional and partisan political loyalties as major elements in the culture of government business. 3.7.3 Recommendations of the Panel: 171. The Panel recommends the following: i) Deepen rationalization: Deepening the ongoing public service rationalization both at national and county levels will streamline the operations of ministries departments and agencies, and this, along with introducing an integrated staff appraisal system, will contribute to addressing the challenge of the high wage bill (GoK and County Governments, Salaries and remuneration Commission); ii) Enhance Collaboration with Strategic Partners: Foster existing good will and facilitative support from development partners and other stakeholders to support public sector reforms, particularly in the context of devolution (GoK and County Governments, Development Partners); iii) Expedite decentralization of resources and authority to local governments to enhance participation and inclusion. A good balance between centralization and decentralization has to be sought and maintained to avoid lapses in service delivery (Commission for Revenue Allocation); iv) Strengthen existing constitutional and legal provisions for consultation, collaboration, coordination and cooperation at the county level between county commission and county government officials through the creation of a service-delivery driven and development-centred platform to be called County Development Forum (GoK, County Governments, Parliament); and v) Continue to specially focus on corruption and other forms of unethical tendencies in the ecology of the public services (Attorney General, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission). | 105 |