This archive report was first published on 25 October 2019.
On October 25, 2019, a parliamentary report exposed the entrenched ethnic imbalance in Kenya's public institutions, where certain communities have been favored in hiring and promotion.
The report, which reviewed 24 public agencies, found that none of the institutions had equitable representation of all 43 ethnic groups in Kenya.
A positive correlation was discovered between the ethnic background of top executives and the dominant community in State-owned companies, suggesting that chief executives may influence the employment of their relatives and friends.
The Public Service Commission's diversity policy, unveiled in 2015, aimed to address the issue of over-representation by setting hiring quotas for ethnic groups and disadvantaged classes.
However, the policy has been defied by those in positions of power, leading to a persistent imbalance in the representation of ethnic groups in government jobs.
Communities such as the Njemps, Kenyan Arabs, Kenyan Asians, Ogiek, Samburu, Somali, and Taveta are routinely under-represented in State jobs, while others, like the and communities, have been favored.
Heads of public institutions must take immediate action to rectify this imbalance, and the National Assembly's Cohesion and Equal Opportunity Committee has recommended punishment for those who breach the diversity policy.
