National Cohesion Bill to Reduce Same-Tribe Employees for Ethnic Inclusivity in Public Service
A bill recently presented to the National Assembly aims to trim the proportion of government employees from the same ethnic group by 10%.
Mandera West MP Adan Haji Yussuf is the sponsor of the National Cohesion and Integration Bill 2023, which advocates for public entities to provide equitable opportunities for appointment, training, and promotion to individuals from all ethnic backgrounds.
ALSO READ: Tribes With Lowest Number of TSC-Employed Teachers
Part of the bill asserts, “A public entity shall not recruit or have in its employment more than one-fifth of its staff from the same ethnic community.”
The Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity, led by its chairperson, argues that the exclusion and marginalization of certain communities are significant contributors to the lack of cohesion among Kenyans.
According to the bill, “A public entity shall ensure representation of the diversity of the people of Kenya in the employment of staff.”
The proposed legislation also cautions employers against harassing potential or current employees. Violating the harassment section could result in a fine not exceeding Ksh5 million or imprisonment for up to three years.
A recent report from the Public Service Commission highlighted the dominance of Rift Valley communities in state jobs at 21.8%, with the Mt Kenya region securing 19%.
ALSO READ: 7 Tribes Bag Nearly All New TSC Teaching Jobs
Nyanza communities followed at 12.4%, and the Western Kenya region secured 9.6%, underscoring the lack of ethnic diversity in public service.
The report revealed that the conversion of temporary appointments to permanent and pensionable terms (35%) and direct (internal) appointments (22.4%) contributed to non-competitive recruitments.
It stated, “The highest number of officers recruited non-competitively were drawn from State Corporations and SAGAs with 466 (27.7%) of the total, followed by Ministries and State Departments with 290 (23.4%) officers.”
Adding to the challenges faced by the public service, Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, on January 19, attributed the shortage of technical staff in ministries to poor recruitment habits. Mwaura pointed out that ministries were hiring more support staff rather than technical personnel.
ALSO READ: Ethnic Disparities in Public Service as Kikuyu, Kalenjin Dominates PSC Jobs
National Cohesion Bill to Reduce Same-Tribe Employees for Ethnic Inclusivity in Public Service