The national government has undertaken significant measures to integrate minorities and marginalised communities into the national framework, aligning with international standards such as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.
This declaration mandates that states protect the existence and identities of minorities, promoting their cultural, religious, and linguistic characteristics. Article 2( 1 ) speifically asserts that minorities have the right to practise their religion, enjoy their culture, and use their language in both public and private settings without discrimination.
Kenya’s history of marginalisation is deeply rooted in colonial policies and post-colonial governance structures that failed to correct these inequalities.
Colonial-era policies prioritised investment in select regions while neglecting others, creating significant socio-economic disparities that have persisted post-independence.
The postcolonial state further entrenched exclusion through centralised governance, assimilating smaller ethnic groups into dominant ones, thereby limiting their participation in national development.
Land dispossession, a major colonial-era injustice, was never fully addressed, leaving many communities landless and further marginalised.
Over the decades, these communities have faced exclusion from economic opportunities, leadership, and decision-making processes, reinforcing historical injustices and perpetuating poverty.
In response, President Ruto’s establishment of the Minorities and Marginalised Affairs Unit (Mmau) under Executive Order No. 2 of 2023 exemplifies the government’s commitment to reversing these patterns.
The Mmau’s mandate includes formulating policies and legislative frameworks to protect these communities, conducting nationwide mapping to identify them, and advocating for their rights across various government sectors.
The unit also plays a key role in ensuring that affirmative action measures, such as social protection schemes, targeted funds and regional development programmes, are effectively implemented to uplift historically marginalised communities.
Notable achievements of the Mmau encompass the recognition and gazettement of stateless communities such as the Makonde, Shona, Tswaka Wakivundi and Nubians, now formally acknowledged as Kenyan tribes.
The unit has also facilitated the inclusion of minority data in the Public Service Commission’s employment portal, enabling fair competition for government employment opportunities.
Additionally, the creation of new administrative units, like Makutani subcounty for the Ilchamus community in Baringo county, underscores efforts to enhance political representation.
The establishment of these administrative units ensures that service delivery is more responsive to the needs of minority communities, reinforcing their inclusion in national governance and development frameworks.
Furthermore, the appointment of individuals from minority backgrounds to key government positions, including Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, reflects a deliberate strategy to ensure diversity and inclusivity within public service.
These initiatives are in harmony with both national constitutional mandates and international obligations, reinforcing Kenya’s dedication to fostering an inclusive society where the rights of minorities and marginalised communities are upheld and promoted.
Beyond representation, Kenya has taken legislative and policy steps to safeguard the rights of minorities through various laws, including the County Governments Act of 2012, the Constituency Development Fund Act of 2013 and the Climate Change Act of 2016.
These legal frameworks have integrated affirmative action measures that ensure minority communities benefit from national resources, social welfare programmes and development funds.
Moreover, policies such as Free, Prior and Informed Consent ensure that marginalised communities have a say in projects that impact their livelihoods, particularly in the context of natural resource exploitation.
The need for structured engagement with these communities is particularly pressing as Kenya pursues large-scale infrastructural projects and natural resource exploitation in traditionally marginalised regions.
Without an inclusive framework, these communities risk further exclusion, despite the economic opportunities emerging in sectors such as oil, gas, minerals and the blue economy.
Ensuring that development efforts integrate these historically neglected communities will be critical to achieving balanced national growth and longterm cohesion.
To achieve this, proactive policies must be put in place to guarantee equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms, corporate social responsibility initiatives and participatory development models that include indigenous and marginalised populations in decision-making processes.
The security of land tenure, particularly for communities with customary land rights, must be prioritised, ensuring that historical land injustices are adequately addressed.
Additionally, efforts should be made to foster greater public awareness and respect for cultural diversity, as well as the protection of indigenous knowledge systems, particularly in relation to sustainable natural resource management.
Kenya’s commitment to international human rights frameworks, including the United Nations Minorities Declaration, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and various regional treaties, underscores the need to continuously monitor and strengthen minority protection mechanisms.
Collaboration with civil society organisations, development partners and minority communities themselves will be key to ensuring that inclusivity is not merely symbolic but effectively realised through tangible policies and actions that create lasting change.
The writer is the secretary, Minorities and Marginalised Affairs Unit, Office of the President
