County governments have been asked to adhere to the constitutional threshold when hiring staff to promote diversity.
The Senate Committee on Cohesion, Equal Opportunity, and Regional Integration on Thursday said that most counties were yet to adhere to Constitutional provisions of inclusion.
Committee chairperson Mohamed Said Chute spoke when the committee visited Lamu county governor Issa Timamy in his office to inquire whether the county had upheld equity in its workforce.
Over the past five months, the committee has summoned various government institutions to the Senate to examine the representation of Kenya’s diversity in their staff composition.
The committee is seeking to establish whether certain parameters such as ethnic composition, gender parity, age and People with Disabilities are considered in staff employment.
The committee observed that PWDs have been greatly disadvantaged across board when it comes to employment.
“Pwds are completely disadvantaged and we are pleading with institutions not to sudeline them when it comes to employment opportunities,” Senator Chute said.
In Lamu county, only 18 persons with disabilities (PWDs) have been hired, constituting just one percent, falling below the five percent threshold.
Lamu County Public Board chaired by Abdalla Mohamed explained that the county’s terrain has dissuaded many persons with disabilities (PWDs) from seeking employment opportunities in Lamu County.
Lamu Senator Githuku Kamau advised the county to use alternative means of placing job advertisements like social media, vernacular stations to attract a wider audience.
The board, in their report findings to the committee showed that the youth took the lion’s share of employment in the county.
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The committee was surprised to discover that 20 county staff members are aged 60 years and older.
“Can the Governor please explain to us why staff as old as 74years old are still in employment at the expense of the young people,” Senator Betty Montent asked.
The County Public Board explained that staff aged 60 years and above were inherited from the previous government and were retained to train new staff.
Unsatisfied with the explanation, the Committee instructed the county to provide, within a week, the specific names and job roles of the elderly staff members.
On ethnicity, the committee said they were happy with staff composition saying the county has managed to employ almost all tribes of the country.
Bajun took the largest share of employees at 623 out of 1675 employees.
Other tribes employed by the county are Kikuyu (353) Mijikenda (170),Pokomo (84),Kamba (58),Luhya (57),Luo (44) Kenya Arab and Orma at (40) employees.
The governor stated that Lamu has employed individuals from 35 out of the 42 ethnic communities in Kenya, positioning his county as the most ethnically inclusive in the nation.
The county assured the committee that they will undertake affirmative action policies to prioritise the recruitment of Pwds, women, and minority groups in line with both national policies and their commitment to enhance diversity.
In terms of gender parity, the county has employed 698 females and 978 males.
“The county in its bid to comply with the provision of the law has considered the merit of not more than 70% position slots for occupation,” said governor Timamy.
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