PS Dokota urges Public Service to turn Policies into Results through Digital Execution
The Principal Secretary for the State Department for Cabinet Affairs, Dr. Idris Salim Dokota, PhD,. CBS has challenged public sector leaders to shift their focus from policy formulation to effective implementation, saying Kenya's digital transformation will only succeed if government decisions translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
Speaking at the Smart Government Summit 2026 in Nairobi, Dr. Dokota said governments would increasingly be judged not by the number of policies they develop but by their ability to execute them efficiently.
The summit, themed "From Directive to Delivered: The Machinery of Execution in Digital Government," brought together senior government officials, policymakers, development partners, technology experts and private sector leaders to discuss the role of technology in improving governance and public service delivery.
Dr. Dokota said Kenya had made notable progress in digitising public services but stressed that the next phase should focus on strengthening implementation across government through what he termed Digital Execution.
He described Digital Execution as a governance model that uses technology to ensure Cabinet Decisions are implemented in a coordinated manner, monitored in real time, supported by reliable data and evaluated against measurable performance indicators.
"The true measure of digital government is not the sophistication of the technology we deploy, but the difference it makes in the daily lives of our citizens. Citizens judge government by the quality, speed, accessibility and reliability of services they receive," he said.
The PS noted that the State Department for Cabinet Affairs has a key responsibility in coordinating the implementation of Cabinet Decisions and ensuring government programmes remain aligned with national priorities.
He said that under Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, the department has strengthened institutional coordination, enhanced performance monitoring systems, promoted evidence-based decision-making and reinforced accountability across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
According to Dr. Dokota, these reforms are intended to accelerate the implementation of flagship government programmes, including the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), Kenya Vision 2030 and the Fourth Medium-Term Plan (MTP IV).
To improve execution across government, he outlined seven pillars that he said should guide implementation. These are Strategic Direction, Institutional Alignment, Digital Coordination, Performance and Accountability, Public Sector Reforms, Data-Driven Decision Making and Citizen-Centred Service Delivery.
He said the framework would help government institutions integrate technology into their operations while improving transparency, efficiency, responsiveness and service delivery.
"The future of governance lies in building institutions that execute effectively. Every directive must translate into action, every programme must produce measurable outcomes, and every public investment must deliver value to citizens," he said.
Dr. Dokota also called for stronger collaboration between government agencies, development partners, academia and the private sector, noting that technology alone cannot transform public service without capable institutions, effective leadership and coordinated implementation.
The summit featured presentations by senior government officials and policy experts, including Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang and Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA) Senior Policy Analyst James Gachanja, who highlighted the importance of digital governance, evidence-based policymaking and institutional reforms.
Participants agreed that embracing emerging technologies, strengthening institutional capacity and promoting data-driven decision-making would be critical to improving policy implementation and enhancing citizen satisfaction.
The meeting concluded with stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to accelerating Kenya's digital transformation by modernizing government systems, strengthening collaboration and ensuring technology delivers better services and improved livelihoods for citizens.