State House tops Kenya ethnicity list

State House tops the list of 10 government departments that have broken the law on State jobs.

The department employs 45.3 per cent of its staff from one ethnic group.

That represents 373 staff members at the department that is the official residence of President Kibaki.

Other ministries and departments that have more than a third of workers from a single group include Transport, Public Works, Tourism, Local Government, Higher Education and the Nairobi Metropolitan.

The National Cohesion and Integration Act requires that no ethnic group should constitute more than a third of the staff in any ministry or government department.

But the audit of Kenya’s civil service ethnic composition revealed that nine ministries and departments are close to breaching the law.

They include the ministries of Water and Irrigation, Cooperatives, Energy, Finance, State Law Office and Roads. Others are Labour, Livestock and the Environment.

The report says 22 ministries and departments have at least 25 per cent of their staff from one ethnic group.

They include the Public Service Commission, the Cabinet Office and the ministries of Education, Information and Planning.

Eight departments and ministries have 20 per cent of staff coming from one community, including Immigration, Public Service and Fisheries.