INTRODUCTION
The Department of Public Service and Administration is one of the ten (10) departments of the County Government of Marsabit. It was established in 2013 under the new dispensation ushered in by the enactment of the New Constitution of Kenya 2010. It was set up as provided for in the County Government Act 2012 and draws its mandate from Executive Order No. 1/2014. The department has six directorates whose mandates complement each other. The Directorate of Public Administration plays an overall role in coordinating the activities of all departments of the county government. The Directorate is service-oriented and has made tremendous progress in establishing systems, procedures, and processes, contributing to devolution implementation. The Directorate structure cascades from headquarters to sub- counties and to the current lowest unit, which is the ward. The department has recruited and deployed administrators to these devolved units who are coordinating the department’s activities and those of other county government departments. The Directorate of Public Administration, complemented by the Directorate of Civic Education and Public Participation, has continued to create awareness among community residents regarding their place in the county's governance. In various fora, the Directorate has continued to explain devolution, county government structure, public participation principles, and the Bill of Rights. In this, the Directorate has been assisted by various partners and stakeholders in civil society. The Directorate of Cohesion, Integration, and Disaster Management has the critical task of fostering cohesion and integration among the more than 14 different communities that reside in Marsabit. This is a huge undertaking considering the county’s challenges around resource availability, such as water and pasture. In addition, the directorate is mandated to map out disaster risks and lead disaster risk reduction programs in the county. The Directorate of ICT is mandated to develop and manage ICT infrastructure in addition to offering ICT support within the County Government of Marsabit. The Structure of the Department The Department has six directorates, namely: 1. Public Administration 2. Civic Education and Public Participation 3. Human Resource Development 4. Information, Communication, and Technology (ICT) 5. Cohesion, Integration, Non-State Actors Coordination, and Disaster Management 6. Liaison Vision Statement To be a premier department in the discharge of public administration services, fostering citizen participation in their county's governance, promoting cohesion and integration among communities of Marsabit, and providing ICT support. Mission Statement To provide exemplary public administration services, enhance citizen participation in governance, promote cohesion and integration, and provide ICT services for effective devolution and service delivery implementation. Core Values The department is committed to national values under Article 10 of the constitution. The Core values central to the mandate of this department are: 1. Good Governance 2. Appreciation of Diversity 3. Integrity 4. Transparency and Accountability 5. Teamwork 6. Equity 7. Professionalism 8. Commitment 9. Innovation 10.Customer Focused Mandate The mandate of the Department is derived from The County Government Act 2012 and Executive Order No. 1/2014, which is to spearhead the provision of public administration, coordination, and ICT services of the county government. Core Functions (i) Provide strategic leadership on matters of county public administration and coordination. (ii) Formulate and implement both short-term and long-term policies, strategies, and plans for the execution of public administration, civic education & public participation, cohesion, integration, and ICT services. (iii) Advise the county government on all matters pertaining to public administration, civic education, disaster management, and ICT. (iv) Provide ICT technical support and solutions to the county government. (v) Undertake system analysis, design, develop, and implement various IT solutions/systems (vi) Promote ICT research and innovation and adopt emerging technologies for public service delivery. (vii) Articulate and disseminate county government policies and programs. (viii) Enlighten and sensitize citizens on their roles in governance and general programs of the county. (ix) Facilitate citizen participation in the affairs of the county government. (x) Coordinate resource mobilization for departmental programs through a partnership with Governmental and Non-Governmental organizations. (xi) Promote peacebuilding, cohesion, and integration among residents of Marsabit County. (xii) Coordinate and support the identification of sources of revenue identification, collection, and management. (xiii) Enhance regular monitoring and evaluation of projects and programs of the county government. (xiv) Delivery of governor’s speeches during national and county functions. (xv) Perform a liaison role on matters of intergovernmental relations. (xvi) Coordinate state and non-state actors to enhance efficiency in service delivery. (xvii) Implement laws and policies on drugs and substance abuse. (xviii) Coordinate response to disasters and emergencies.