A new report has exposed staff ethnic and gender imbalances in some of the country’s richest state corporations.
The report on employment diversity in public institutions shows how big tribes continue to dominate the parastatals and why some communities remain marginalised.
The report by the National Assembly’s National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity shows that Kikuyus and Kalenjins are the dominant tribes that control some of the most lucrative parastatals.
Out of the 14 parastatals that the committee examined, six are controlled by Kikuyus and two each by Kalenjins and Luos.
At the Communications Authority of Kenya, the number of Kikuyus and Kalenjins is at par, both having 19.43 per cent share of staff.
According to the report, the Kikuyu are dominant at Kenya National Highways Authority (Kenha), Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), Kenya Medical Research Institute (Kemri) and Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade).
“There was a consistent pattern of exclusion of some communities among all institutions that appeared before the committee, and in most institutions, it is visible that some communities have been excluded from employment of all cadres,” the report states.
The parliamentary committee is chaired by Mandera West MP Adan Haji.
According to the report, Kalenjins dominate at the Teachers Service Commission and National Social Security Fund.
Luos on the other hand are a majority at Kenya Maritime Authority and Kenya National Shipping Line.
Kisiis are dominant at the Kenya Maritime and Fisheries Research Institute while the Mijikenda control Coast Development Authority and Pwani University.
“The National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2018 should be amended to compel the head of Public Service to [provide] quarterly reports to Parliament on the staff establishment with specific emphasis on how ethnic and marginalised groups are represented,” the report recommends.
The report shows that the ethnic imbalance has soared after the 2019 National Population Census and the 2010 Constitution, which abhors inequality.
“Public institutions have focused more on meritocracy thereby ignoring gender, ethnic and regional balance to achieve the face of Kenya,” it states.
The report shows that up to 24.16 per cent or 128 out of the total workforce of 519 at Kenha are Kikuyus.
According to the latest financial reports, Kenha is ranked as one of the richest state corporations with Sh636 billion in assets and over Sh26.14 billion in revenue.
“Only 24 out of 46 ethnic communities have been employed in Kenha contrary to provisions of Article 232(1)(h) and (1) of the Constitution,” the report states.
Luos, Kalenjin, Kalenjin, Luhya, Kisii and Kamba follow at 19.33 per cent (96), 14.68 per cent (79), 10.78 per cent (57), 8.18 per cent (43) and 7.43 per cent (38) respectively.
“In the ratio between national population and employment proportion, the Kikuyu community is overrepresented with a positive variance of 6.83 per cent,” the report states.
Some 169 employees at Kenha are female and 350 are male.
At KenGen, Kikuyus make up 27.79 per cent or 723 of the 2,602-member workforce.
They are followed by the Kalenjin at 16.91 per cent and Luo at 11.80 per cent.
“The company should employ affirmative actions and measures towards recruiting (from) all the 46 (ethnic communities) in line with Article 232 of the Constitution,” the committee recommends.
KenGen’s latest financial reports for the year ending June 30, 2022, shows it has an asset value of Sh508 billion and Sh49.22 billion in revenue.
The report further shows that at Kebs, members of the Kikuyu community control 18.47 per cent of the workforce followed by Kalenjin at 15.96 per cent and Luo at 14.31 per cent.
“Promotions done in Kebs in the last five years, the Kalenjin, Kamba, Kikuyu, Luo and Kisii communities dominate at 302 translating to 67.56 per cent out of 447 employees promoted,” the report says.
At ACA, only 16 out of the 46 ethnic groups are represented, with the Kikuyu dominating the workforce at 18.10 per cent followed by Luo at 13.30 per cent, Kalenjin at 11.40 per cent and Kamba at 11.40 per cent.
“Before the passage of the 2010 Constitution, the authority had only 10 ethnic groups, with the Kalenjin dominating at 35.2 per cent,” the report shows.
The authority has 73 male and 32 female staff, translating to 69.52 per cent and 30.48 per cent respectively, thus achieving the required two-thirds gender rule.
“All public institutions should introduce the idea of addressing ethnic inequalities approach in the public service as a benchmark in performance contracting,” the committee recommends in the report.
At NSSF, one of the richest state corporations, up to 18.27 per cent of the 1,090 employees are from the Kalenjin community.
They are followed by Kamba at 17.52 per cent and Luo 13.30 per cent.
“Only 27 out of the 46 ethnic groups have been employed in NSSF contrary to the provisions of Article 232 of the Constitution,” the report states.
NSSF’s financial statement for the year ending June 30, 2021, shows that it has assets valued at Sh286 billion and Sh36.20 billion in revenue.
The company has 541 female and 549 male employees, with the two genders almost at par.
“The Fund should provide adequate and equal opportunities for appointment, training and advancement at all levels in terms of ethnicity, age, gender and persons with disabilities (PWDs),” the committee recommended.
The report reveals that the Kalenjin and Kikuyu dominate both the teaching and secretariat staff at the Teachers Service Commission.
Out of the teaching staff of 346,760, some 17.17 per cent are people from Kalenjin community, 17.02 per cent are from Kikuyu while Luhya control 15.25 per cent.
In the secretariat, the Kikuyu and Kalenjin control 19.18 and 14.50 per cent of the 2,842 workforce.
“Before the passage of the 2010 Constitution, 50.1 per cent of TSC employees were still from three ethnic groups namely Kikuyu, Luhya and Kalenjin,” the report says.
“Promotions done in TSC in the last five years, the Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Luhya and Luo communities dominate at 14,795, translating to 61.59 per cent out of 24,090 promoted.”
The report shows that 18.47 per cent of the employees at Kebs are Kikuyu followed by Kalenjin at 15.96 per cent.
“Before the passage of the 2010 Constitution, Kebs had only 18 ethnic groups with the Kikuyu dominating at 21.41 per cent. Kebs has since increased the number of ethnic groups to 27 out of 46,” the report says.
“Kebs should employee affirmative action measures in employment to enhance diversity representation of all the 46 ethnic groups in the Authority.”
KenTrade, which was established after the 2010 Constitution, has up to 30 per cent of its employees coming from the Kikuyu community.
At the Kenya National Shipping Line, only members from seven out of the 46 ethnic groups have been employed there.
Luos dominate the workforce with 31.58 percent coming from the community, 21.05 coming from Luhya and the same percentage from Kamba.
“Before the passage of the 2010 Constitution, KNSL still had seven ethnic groups with the Luo community dominating at 73.68 per cent. The institution has since retained the number of ethnic groups but has managed to reduce the representation of the Luo community,” it says.