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Somebody has told you government jobs are only for people who "know someone". Ignore them. To apply for government jobs in Kenya, first find out which body is hiring, because each one recruits separately. National civil service jobs go through the Public Service Commission's online portal. County jobs go through each county's public service board. None of the official recruiters below charges you to apply.
"Government" Isn't One Employer. Know Who's Hiring
The Public Service Commission (PSC) recruits for national ministries, departments, and agencies. Each of the 47 counties hires through its own county public service board. The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) recruits teachers, the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) recruits police staff, and the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) recruits judiciary staff. State corporations (parastatals) and public universities advertise on their own websites.
Apply through the wrong door, and nobody opens it.
How to Apply for Government Jobs in Kenya Online Through the PSC
The "Apply Now" button on publicservice.go.ke takes you to the PSC jobs portal. Five moves:
- Register with your ID or passport number, surname, a working email address, and a password.
- Log in with your ID or passport number and password.
- Complete your profile: personal details, academic and professional qualifications, work experience, professional memberships and referees. The portal warns that incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Apply for the advertised post and submit.
- Print and keep your Feedback Report and the application summary as proof. The PSC FAQs say a folio number on screen confirms your submission.
You can edit until the advert closes, and apply for more than one post if you qualify for each. The PSC FAQs also allow a manual PSC.2 form, delivered to Commission House on Harambee Avenue or posted, if the advert accepts it.
The last day is a trap. The PSC itself notes the system can slow down when heavy traffic hits the database at once. No laptop? A cyber café or a smartphone works, though the forms are long.
How to Apply for County Government Jobs in Kenya: Find the Board, Follow the Method
Counties advertise on their own websites. Search "[your county] county public service board" and bookmark the official page, which will end in .go.ke.
Methods vary. Some counties take applications through an online recruitment portal. Others still want paper. Mandera County's September 2026 health advert, for example, accepted only the county's own employment application form with attachments, in a sealed envelope addressed to the board's secretary. Follow the advert's method exactly.
Picture Wanjiru, a TVET graduate in clinical medicine from Nyeri, checking her own county's vacancy page every Friday, plus two neighbouring counties. Each advert sets its own requirements and method, so she reads every one before she applies.
Teachers, Police and Judiciary Have Their Own Doors
TSC applications go through its online system, teachersonline.tsc.go.ke. The NPSC uses its own online jobs portal, as its January 2025 advert shows. The JSC lists vacancies on its jobs page and takes applications through its online recruitment portal. For state corporations, check each body's own website.
How to Read a Government Job Advert: Every Line Is an Instruction
Quote the advert or reference number exactly. The job grade shows seniority: the PSC's May 2026 advert uses grades such as CSG 5, and JSC adverts use JSG.
The requirements (academic qualifications, years of experience, professional registration) are not suggestions. Miss a listed minimum? Find a post that fits instead. Watch the closing date and time, and don't count on a late application being considered.
Many adverts ask shortlisted or successful candidates for Chapter Six clearances. A JSC advert from January 2026 listed clearances from KRA, HELB, the DCI, EACC, a credit reference bureau and the relevant professional body. Start them early.
Then the dreaded line, which the PSC's May 2026 advert phrases as "Only shortlisted and successful applicants will be contacted." Silence after the closing date usually means you weren't shortlisted this time. This time. On the PSC portal, you can check your application's status with your ID number.
A Strong Application Is an Honest, Early One
Gather your documents first: ID, KRA PIN, academic and professional certificates, transcripts, and an up-to-date CV, all scanned clearly. Match yourself honestly to the requirements. Never inflate your qualifications. The PSC portal warns that giving false information can mean a fine of up to KSh 200,000 or up to two years in jail. Choose referees who know your work and will pick up the phone. Submit early and keep your folio number. Keep your phone and email active, since the PSC contacts shortlisted candidates by phone, email and its website.
The PSC internship: a door in for graduates
Graduates can also look at the PSC's one-year Public Service Internship Programme. In August 2026, the PSC said it had begun reviewing the internship policy with a view to accommodating diploma and TVET graduates. The PSC has also said plainly that the internship doesn't guarantee employment. Check the PSC's internship page for the next intake and its requirements.
Anyone Selling a Government Job Is Selling a Lie
No legitimate government recruiter charges you to apply, be shortlisted, be interviewed or be appointed. The PSC's May 2026 advert says it "does not charge any fees for job applications, shortlisting, interviews or appointments", and its website warns of fraudsters posing as PSC staff. JSC adverts state that its recruitment services are free of charge, and the TSC's online system says no payment of any kind is required to apply. Whoever is promising "connections" for an M-Pesa payment is running a scam. Report them, and read How to Spot Fake Job Offers in Kenya Before You Pay.
The next advert is already being drafted. Will it find you with documents scanned and clearances moving, or scrambling at a cyber café an hour before closing? Decide today.
