18.5 million marginalized Kenyans to benefit from inclusivity policy

Plan International Kenya staff distributing sanitary towels girls in Loreng village during World Menstrual Hygiene Day. [File, Standard]

More than 18.5 million Kenyans from ethnic minorities and marginalized communities are poised to benefit from a proposed law and national policy that seeks to address historical injustices and promote equality across the country.

The National Policy for Ethnic Minorities and Marginalized Communities (2025–2035) — currently undergoing public participation across 22 counties — seeks to introduce affirmative action programs in governance, education, and equitable access to resources and services, as guaranteed under Article 56 of the Constitution.

Speaking during a public consultation forum held at the Narok County Commissioner’s plenary hall, Josephat Lowoi, Director of the Minorities and Marginalized Affairs Unit (MMAU) in the Executive Office of the President, said the new Ethnic Minorities and Marginalized Communities Bill, 2025, together with the Draft Policy, are part of a broader effort to foster inclusivity and protect the rights of vulnerable communities in Kenya.

According to Lowoi, the policy targets hunter-gatherer communities–such as the Ogiek, Sengwer, entorois and Yaaku, who have long faced land dispossession, cultural erosion, and exclusion from mainstream development.

The Pastoralist communities in marginalized regions – including Maasai-speaking groups in Narok, Kajiado, Samburu, and other counties that suffer from underdevelopment, drought, and limited access to education and healthcare.

Ethnic minorities in coastal and northern Kenya, such as the Aweer (Boni), Bajuni, Sanye, and other groups in Lamu, Tana River, Garissa, and Turkana, experience geographic isolation and systemic marginalization.

“There are three main categories of communities targeted by this policy — all of whom have been historically overlooked in Kenya’s development agenda,” said Lowoi.

Lowoi explained that the Office of the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, through the MMAU and a Technical Working Committee, had spearheaded the development of both the Draft Bill and Policy in line with the Kenya Kwanza administration’s inclusive agenda. The legal framework is anchored in Articles 10, 56, and 260 of the Constitution.

He emphasized that the Constitution obliges the State to ensure minority groups are included in governance and enjoy equal access to education, employment, cultural preservation, and essential services.

The proposed statute also provides for the preservation and promotion of the languages, cultural values, and traditional practices of ethnic minorities. It further seeks to guarantee reasonable access to healthcare, water, infrastructure, and land rights, especially for communities historically affected by land dispossession.

Fred Lemama, a spokesperson for the Ogiek community in Narok, welcomed the policy as a historic turning point for marginalized communities, noting that these groups have long fought for inclusion using the Constitution and through collaboration with bodies like the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC).