A report by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has revealed that the Kalenjin and Kikuyu communities collectively hold over 30% of jobs across all 47 Kenyan counties.
The study’s findings highlight that 10 communities are prominently represented in county public services, led by the Kalenjin at 15.45%, closely followed by the Kikuyu at 15.40%.
Other communities include Luhya (13.00%), Luo (9.15%), Kamba (8.73%), Kisii (7.50%), Mijikenda (5.08%), Meru (4.78%), Somali (4.3%), and Maasai (4.00%). Conversely, some tribes have only a 1% representation.
NCIC emphasized that Kenya’s highly ethnic society could benefit from a diverse workforce, bringing forth unique perspectives, skills, and experiences to county administrations.
“Inclusion of diverse teams not only promotes a sense of belonging, inclusion, and equality, contributing to increased employee engagement and satisfaction, but also ensures innovation and effectiveness in problem-solving compared to homogeneous teams. Diverse teams are better equipped to adapt and respond to ever-changing environments,” stated NCIC in their report.
The report further noted that only four minority ethnic groups, namely Somali (4.31%), Maasai (4.78%), Turkana (1.92%), and Taita (1.56%), are well-represented in certified public secretaries (CPS).
Tribalism remains a major concern in many Kenyan institutions, influencing considerations of regional balance in appointments or promotions and leading to disproportionate distribution of personnel.
The NCIC stressed the need for intervention to bridge the gap between marginalized and minority communities, advising counties to develop and implement diversity and equity plans to rectify the growing levels of inequalities between dominant and minority communities.
