The Sengwer minority community in the Rift Valley region is demanding slots in the new government, claiming past administrations had sidelined them.
They want a share of State jobs and their own administrative unit or constituency, saying they voted for Kenya Kwanza in the August 9 polls and have high expectations from it.
They claim past regimes had sidelined them in employment opportunities at the national and county government levels.
“We want equity, regional balance and fairness. We have been discriminated against since independence. Big communities have more than five big slots in government,” said spokesperson Dickson Rotich.
Population
The Sengwer community has more than 50,000 people in West Pokot County, and more members in Trans Nzoia and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
Other ethnic groups – such as the Awei, Yaaku, Ogiek, Ilchamus, Endosis, Bongomek, Ogiek, Asanya, Awer, and Elmolo – have also lamented neglect under past governments, arguing this is why they are lagging behind in development.
Sengwer traditional dancers entertaining guests at Makutano stadium, West Pokot County on Jamhuri day celebrations on December 12, 2021.
Political brokers
Mr Rotich said attempts by the group to voice their concerns have been unsuccessful, blaming political brokers hell-bent on stifling their demands.
“We need Cabinet secretaries, permanent secretaries, ambassadors and directors in government departments because we have taken our children to school yet they are not employed,” he said.
Among other demands, he said the community wants the new government to consider creating a ministry for minority affairs and forming a new constituency specifically for them, comprising parts of West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet and Trans Nzoia.
“What we want is our rights to be respected so that our youths can get employment. If we get our own constituency, it will be easy for our youths to get employment. Ruto’s government should think about us,” Mr Rotich said in Kapenguria on Saturday.
Legal redress
The community, he added, would seek legal redress and clarification on the rights to promotion and representation of minority and marginalised groups.
“We are not satisfied with the number of employment slots given to our community. Kenya got the first female Chief Justice Martha Koome and we should now move to minorities,” he said.
William Cheparko, a former deputy mayor of the defunct Kapenguria municipality, said the community wants to meet with the incoming President so that they can present their grievances.
“We want to meet the President so that we can clearly understand why we have been sidelined for so long yet we are Kenyans,” he said.
Fruitless efforts
Obadia Koech, a youth leader, said the community has been pressing for a sub-county or constituency, to no avail.
“We have been experiencing a myriad of challenges and now it’s enough. If our issues will not be addressed, we shall be back on the streets demonstrating,” he said.
“We cannot still be crying since independence. Jomo Kenyatta, Daniel Arap Moi and Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta did not help us.”
He added: “What we want is our rights to be respected so that our youths can get employment. If we get our own administrative unit, it will be easy for our youths to get employment.”
He claimed youths from the community had not been considered for money from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and the Youth and Equalisation kitties. BY DAILY NATION