The Public Service Commission (PSC) has put public officers on notice, declaring that any abuse, harassment, or exploitation of interns within government institutions is a criminal offence punishable by law.
The commission flagged a growing number of mistreatment cases targeting young graduates placed in public service.
PSC Chairperson Francis Meja issued the warning on May 25, 2026, during a capacity-building workshop for Public Service Internship Programme (PSIP) mentors and coaches held in Naivasha.
Addressing supervisors directly, Meja reminded them that their role extends beyond oversight to actively protecting interns under their care.
“As mentors and coaches, you are the first line of defence. You are obligated to create safe, respectful, and dignified environments for every intern,” said Meja.
He added that any abuse, whether physical, emotional, or sexual, is not only a violation of workplace ethics but also a betrayal of public trust and a punishable criminal offence.
Mentors to protect interns
PSC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Paul Famba also addressed the workshop, urging mentors to take their responsibility seriously and genuinely invest in the career development of interns placed under their supervision.
“Every intern placed in your institutions is waiting for someone to believe in them, guide, and protect them. Your mentorship can be the difference between a broken career and a bright future,” said Famba.
Widespread harassment
The warnings come against a backdrop of troubling statistics on intern vulnerability in Kenya.
A 2024 study by the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) found that 42 per cent of women were first harassed as interns, with 40 per cent of all female interns in the media sector personally reporting such experiences.
Separate 2024 research found that 57 per cent of harassers hold positions of authority, while a GeoPoll Gender Equality Report revealed that 51 per cent of Kenyan workers have experienced workplace sexual harassment, with interns accounting for 21 per cent of reported cases.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) states that only 10 per cent of victims formally report such incidents, with many fearing retaliation or victimisation.
PSC internship
Intern exploitation in Kenya’s public sector has previously attracted judicial scrutiny.
The Court of Appeal issued a landmark ruling declaring unconstitutional a Teachers Service Commission (TSC) internship programme that had assigned 44,000 teachers full teaching responsibilities while paying them discriminatory wages.
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The PSC runs the PSIP as a flagship programme designed to bridge the gap between academia and professional life by placing unemployed university graduates in government ministries, state departments, and agencies for one-year paid internships.
By Benedict Aoya
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