President Uhuru Kenyatta addresses governors in Kilifi on Thursday. Many public servants are set to lose their jobs next year. [Photo/Star]

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With the public sector wage bill on an all-time high, the government has started putting in place measures to ensure it’s contained.

This will see thousands of civil servants losing their jobs, with the government planning to retrench almost 40,000 employees.

Almost half of these employees are in the national government, with the remaining half based in the counties.

The country has over 700,000 employees in the public sector, with almost 200,000 of those being in the national and county governments.

President Kenyatta all but confirmed this impending exercise, when he addressed the governors in Kilifi County during a forum.

“I want you to join me in putting all our public service officers on notice. Nothing will be achieved without transformation of the public service.

“Let us not allow faceless bureaucrats and functionaries to deny the public quality of service,” he told governors.

Among the ministries that are likely to be affected more include; Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment and Water, Information, Communication, and Technology.

Others are the East African Community, Foreign Affairs, Industrialization, Mining, and Treasury.