A parliamentary report has revealed the shame of rampant tribalism in public sector hiring.
A report by the National Assembly’s Cohesion and Equal Opportunity Committee, chaired by nominated MP Maina Kamanda, shows skewed ethnic imbalance in most of the 24 public institutions audited.
Set to be tabled in Parliament when it resumes sittings, it shows none of the institutions audited has proportionate representation of the 43 ethnic groups.
Article 232 of the Constitution provides that the public service workforce should be a representation of the diverse Kenyan groups.
COMPLIANCE
In respect to compliance with Section 7 of the National Cohesion and Integration Act 2008 — which obligates all public institutions to ensure representation of Kenya’s diversity by having no more than one-third of staff from the same ethnic group — only 11 out of the 24 institutions complied.
The other 13 are dominated by one ethnic group.
Institutions that have not complied with the NCIC Act include the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Technical University of Mombasa, Kenyatta National Hospital, Coast Development Authority, Lake Victoria North Services Board, Maseno University and Lake Basin Development Authority
Others are Kenya Ports Authority, Rivatex East Africa, Moi University and Kerio Valley Development Authority.
The 11 that have complied with the Act include the Parliamentary Service Commission, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Power, Export Processing Zone Authority, National Hospital Insurance Fund, Kenya National Examinations Council, National Social Security Fund, Teachers Service Commission, Public Service Commission, National Police Service Commission and Office of the Auditor-General.
KISII COMMUNITY
At the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute, more than a third of staff is from the Kisii community at 37.91 per cent.
Only 20 ethnic groups are represented at the institute with Kisii, Luo and Mijikenda dominating at 37.91, 29.12 and 6.78 per cent respectively.
At the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kalenjins make up 69.74 per cent of staff, followed by Luhyas and Kisii at 11.02 and 5.11 per cent respectively.
At the Technical University of Mombasa, Kalenjins make up 56.69 per cent of staff, followed by Luos and Luhyas at 12.46 and 7.85 per cent.
At Kerio Valley Development Authority, 76.16 per cent of employees are Kalenjin, while Maasai and Meru make up 3.31 per cent each.
The same trend is replicated at Moi University, where 56.69 per cent of staff are Kalenjin, while Luos and Luhya stand at 12.46 and 7.85 per cent.
LUOS DOMINATE
At the Lake Basin Development Authority, only 11 ethnic groups out of the 43 are represented, with Luos forming the bulk of staff at 57.31 per cent, Kisiis 16.15 per cent and Luhyas 12.69 per cent.
Maseno University employs 61.21 per cent Luos, Luhyas 18.39 per cent and Kalenjin 6.95 per cent. The same trend is replicated at Lake Victoria North Water Services Board where Luos dominate at 57.3 per cent followed by Kalenjin 17.3 per cent and Luhya, 13.3 per cent.
At Coast Development Authority, the Mijikenda make up 45 per cent of staff, followed by Taita Taveta and Pokomo ethnic groups at 15 and six per cent respectively.
At Kenyatta National Hospital, Kikuyus dominate the workforce at 30 per cent followed by Luhyas 11.46 per cent and Luos 11.37 per cent.
Kalenjins dominate the workforce at Rivatex East Africa with 69.74 per cent employees, followed by the Luhya at 11.02 per cent and Luos, 5.11 per cent.
None of the audited 24 institutions complied with Article 232 of the Constitution, which requires that five per cent of appointments in the public sector comprise persons with disability.
Out of 24 institutions, 16 have met the two-thirds gender requirement. However, at the management level, only eight institutions have not met the gender balance requirement.