Thousands of interns have threatened to occupy Public Service Commission (PSC) offices on Monday, demanding employment after completing their internships. This group, numbering over 50,000, claims they have been volunteering in their assigned offices since 2019 without receiving job offers. Despite numerous letters to the PSC, they have not received any response.
“One of the interns said, “The first thing they told us was once we get the certificate of completion, they are going to absorb us when they post jobs on the portal, but from 2019 until now, we have been struggling to find jobs.”
The internship program, started by the PSC in 2019, aimed to equip graduates with the necessary skills, work ethics, and hands-on experience. The program offered financial incentives to the youth in the form of a monthly stipend of Sh25,000. On Thursday, the PSC stated that the program had benefited 25,200 interns from Cohort I to Cohort VI since its inception.
The PSC interns said they have been languishing in joblessness since their internships ended, feeling like they were “trained and dumped.”
“This thing must stop. Our generation will not be used and discarded. We are ‘undumpable.’ So on Monday, if you are a graduate or a parent who has invested in education, let’s come out. We must speak, our voices must be heard,” said a leader of the group during a press conference.
He added that they possess all the necessary documents and clearance certificates from all relevant agencies and authorities, including the PSC itself, except for job opportunities.
In its statement on Thursday, the PSC said it had competitively recruited 1,964 interns alongside other job applicants to take up advertised posts in Ministries and State Departments. The Commission noted this despite the limited availability of job opportunities in the public service.
“The Public Service Commission graciously appreciates the enthusiasm, skills, competencies, and the new work ethic and culture exhibited by the young people who have served under PSIP,” the Commission said.
On July 15 this year, the commission met representatives of the interns at Commission House and addressed the issues they had raised regarding PSC’s recruitment and selection processes.
