KNBS on the spot over ethnic imbalance in hiring

Senators have today (Monday) questioned the ethnic imbalance at the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) after it was revealed that close to 64pc of its staff were from five communities.

The Senate National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration Committee raised concerns over inequitable employment practices against the provided guidelines under the 2010 constitution on equal opportunities of employment in state agencies.

Appearing before the Committee, KNBS Director General Dr Macdonald George Obudho had a hard time explaining why the said communities also dominated the latest recruitment carried out by the bureau.

The Bureau has 506 staff members of this 102 are Kikuyus, 84 Luo, Luhya 60, Kamba 58 and 50 Kalenjins totaling to 354 employees of the institution. The latest recruitment by the agency also saw the said five communities bag an additional 42.1pc of the positions advertised by the institution.

Further, Senator Mohammed Chute led Committee established that the Bureau also has six employees who have surpassed the retirement age of 60 with the youngest employee at the state agency is a 22-year-old.

The members pointed out that there are number of youth with the relevant qualifications to work at the institution yet are not accorded such opportunities.

The Committee directed the DG to present additional documents on suppliers providing services to the institutions and a solution to diversify problem at the bureau.