Diversity is something as Kenyans we need to embrace. The past election clashes that caused by our tribal identities and brought about division among us have always made us think twice. Whenever we do away with the political divisions, it’s amazing how our cultures make our country so beautiful Members of the National Assembly Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity heard that the workforce is made up of members from 25 tribes. MPs Ong’ondo Were (Kasipul) and Jerusha Momanyi (Nyamira) questioned why an important institution such as Parliament fails to represent the face of Kenya in its hiring. There is no single person from 18 communities in Parliament’s workforce.
Records showed there are 82 Kalenjins, Kamba (81), Kisii (53), Somali (48), Meru (41), Masaai (28), Turkana (18), Samburu (15), Taita (15), Borani (10) and Mijikenda (10). From the statistics, the majority of the workforce is aged 30–39, accounting for 42.12 per cent, followed by 40–49, who add up to 299 or 35 per cent of the 353 staffers.
Youths between 20 and 29 are the minority, with only 22. The House team also heard that only 10 people living with disability are employed by PSC. Senate Clerk Jeremiah Nyengenye said this was due to the few numbers who apply. “…you can only recruit from people who apply. We have a very low number of applicants with disabilities,” said Nyengenye, who is also the PSC secretary.
The committee chaired by nominated MP Maina Kamanda was meeting the Parliamentary Service Commission regarding an audit on diversity in public institutions. “From your own submissions, only 25 communities are represented. I am wondering where the rest of the communities are, and what strategy you have put in place to ensure all counties are represented,” Were said.
Jerusha posed, “What made you not touch the other 17 communities? Are they not learned or did they not apply?” From the PSC records, employees from the Kikuyu community make up the majority with 164 employees, followed by the Luhya at 126 and the Luo at 90.
He said the commission has put in place mechanisms to achieve diversity in future recruitments. Kamanda said they will carry out a similar audit on diversity in all public institutions to ensure organisations funded by the taxpayers comply with constitutional provisions. “We are going to other departments of government and we thought we will be accused of not starting with our house,” he said. This is a good move by the parliament. Every tribe should be represented it’s the only way we shall avoid having little fights. What’s your take?