National Cohesion and Integration Commission to probe President Uhuru Kenyatta's appointments for ethnic discrimination

A National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) audit has revealed that 45 per cent of employees who work State Houses or lodges are from one ethnic group.

The commission noted that in accordance with the law, it would audit recent presidential appointments to state corporations to determine if the postings complied with laws against ethnic discrimination and domination.

Opposition leaders have in the past accused the Jubilee administration of filling most posts with ethnic Kikuyu and Kalenjin tribes to which President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto belong.

Late last month, the President appointed close to 300 men and women to head or join state boards and corporations. The President stated that he chose from all shades and tribes.

In an analysis of tribe and cohesion in Kenya's public institutions, including ministries and public universities since the enactment of the NCIC Act in 2008, NCIC also revealed that NCIC would also audit employment policies in Parliament and the Judiciary to establish compliance with relevant laws on discrimination, domination and exclusion.

NCIC chairman Francis ole Kaparo railed at politicians and public officials, accusing them of war-mongering, promoting discrimination and inciting hatred.

National malady

Addressing a panel of Members of the Senate and National Assembly that deals with national cohesion and integration, Kaparo declared that a "mental attitude to disobey the law" by leaders has become "a national malady" leading to impunity.

Kaparo said all state or public appointments ought to comply with the laws, including one that outlaws domination of any tribe by more than a third, and disclosed that most ministries and public universities are controlled or dominated by the dominant tribes in their locality.

Even presidential appointments are not exempt from the application of the law, he said.

"We are going to perform an audit of recent appointments to state corporations. There are certain parameters that must be followed," said Kaparo.

The NCIC chair said the enactment of the NCIC Act and publication of policies that outlaw ethnic domination, bad practices started at the national level have now percolated into public universities and county governments.

"Kenya has a crisis of ethnic inequality and exclusion in the civil service.... several ministries are operating in breach of the legal requirement that no single ministry should have more than one third of staff from one community. These ministries include State House (45 per cent), Transport (39 per cent) and Public Works (35 per cent)," according to a 2011 survey of the civil service.

Kaparo accused public institutions and officials of ignoring affirmative action programmes to assist small tribes like the Orma, Tharaka, Burji, Gosha and Dasenach.

Dominant tribes

With the exception of Masinde Muliro University, University of Nairobi and University of Eldoret, all "the vice chancellors of universities belonged to the dominant tribe in their locality to which majority of the staff also belong," he said.

The former National Assembly Speaker accused politicians of fomenting ethnic disintegration to rise to power and maintain it, adding that "the less cohesive we are, the better for political party leaders."