A string of instructions from the State House has created a wave of panic in the public service, where over 500 chief executive officers, chairpersons and directors of state parastatals are now in a state of paralysis.

The new sheriff in town is Felix Koskei, State House Chief of Staff and head of pubic service, who has directed that all parastatal chiefs, cabinet secretaries and principal secretaries must seek his permission before carrying out some of their statutory functions. They are complaining of operating in a chokehold where boards must submit agendas before meetings and cannot issue gazette notices or policy statements without Koskei’s approval