The Public Service Commission (PSC) has embarked on its latest recruitment drive for the Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP) for the 2024/2025 financial year.

The initiative, which aims to equip recent graduates with essential work experience, has been met with renewed criticism over alleged biases in the recruitment process.

This year’s recruitment, targeting Cohort 7, promises a 12-month, non-renewable internship in various government ministries, departments, and agencies.

The programme, part of the government’s broader youth empowerment strategy, has been lauded for providing graduates with hands-on experience, enhancing their employability, and offering networking opportunities. However, recent events have cast a shadow over the initiative.

A wave of discontent erupted on July 19, 2024, when a coordinated protest by interns, who lacked union representation, took to the streets. These young professionals, frustrated by what they perceive as systemic corruption and nepotism within the PSC, called for significant reforms.

The protesters demanded an audit of hiring practices since 2018, the elimination of ghost workers, the removal of individuals with fake certificates, and stricter enforcement of retirement age policies.

Despite the public outcry, the PSC has maintained that it follows a strict recruitment protocol. The Commission emphasised that its recruitment process adheres to job advertisements and constitutional requirements, ensuring diverse community representation and gender balance.

In a detailed response, the PSC explained that it recruits on behalf of public institutions based on requests from Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), which must first secure funding approval from the National Treasury.

The Public Service Internship Programme, which was launched in 2019, aims to bridge the gap between education and the workplace for graduates. Since its inception, the programme has provided a monthly stipend of KSh 25,000 to over 25,200 interns across multiple cohorts. While the PSC acknowledges the programme's success, it firmly denies any suggestion that the internship is a guaranteed path to permanent employment in the public sector.

The Commission argues that automatic absorption would undermine the principles of fairness and merit that underpin the recruitment process.

The PSC’s latest recruitment announcement, published in the government’s official publication, MyGov, outlines the qualifications for applicants.

Eligible candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university, have graduated no earlier than 2018, and demonstrate proficiency in computer skills. Applications are to be submitted online through the PSC’s job portal by September 2, 2024.