New report shows ethnic and regional imbalance in public jobs

A parliamentary report on ethnic composition in public institutions has revealed skewed hiring in favour of the communities where the ruling elite hail from.

The review of 24 public agencies by the National Assembly's Cohesion and Equal Opportunity committee chaired by nominated MP Maina Kamanda indicates none of the institutions has equitable representation of all the 43 ethnic groups of Kenya.

Under the diversity policy for State Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) released in December 2015 by the Public Service Commission (PSC), ethnic groups whose job representation surpasses their corresponding national population proportion are considered to be over-represented.

A total of 13 institutions have not even attempted to comply with diversity requirement as defined under the National Cohesion and Integration Act.

These include Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (37.91 percent Kisii), Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (69.74 percent Kalenjin), Kerio Valley Development Authority (76.16 percent Kalenjin), Kenyatta National Hospital (30 percent Kikuyu) and Lake Victoria North Water Services Board (57.3 percent Luo)

Others are Maseno University (61.21 percent Luo), Rivatex East Africa (69.74 percent Kalenjin), Moi University (56.69 percent Kalenjin), Technical University of Mombasa (56.69 Kalenjin), Coast Development Authority (45 percent Mijikenda) and Lake Basin Development Authority (43 percent Luo).

The 11 that have complied with the law are the Parliamentary Service Commission, the Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Power, the Export Processing Zone Authority, the National Hospital Insurance Fund and Kenya National Examination Council.

Others are the Kenya Ports Authority, the National Social Security Fund, the Teachers Service Commission, the Public Service Commission, the National Police Service Commission and the Office of the Auditor-General.