The Senate Committee on National Cohesion has cleared the Social Health Authority (SHA) of claims of ethnic bias in hiring. The decision followed complaints from members of the public that prompted the committee to step in.
The committee requested the SHA to provide an explanation of how it recruited its employees. In response, SHA CEO Mercy Mwangangi appeared before the committee. She presented evidence on the origin of employees. She explained that employees come from at least 40 different communities across the nation. She told the committee:
“No single ethnic group exceeds the legal threshold of one-third of the total workforce, in line with the National Cohesion and Integration Act.”
After presenting evidence to the committee, the Senate cleared SHA. This was based on evidence provided to the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, which was led by Marsabit Senator Mohamed Said Chute. The committee found out that SHA had adhered to the law in hiring employees. This was to promote national unity.
A deeper look into the numbers reveals that none of them stands out as dominant. Uasin Gishu represents 17.7 per cent of the total staff, followed by Somali at 14 per cent. The people from Central Kenya make up 12.1 per cent of the population, while the Kamba make up 10.5 per cent.
There are other tribes, including the Kisii, Luhya, and Luo, among others. There are also other small tribes that are often ignored in the process.
Mwangangi said that the essence of bringing people from different backgrounds is to create a sense of trust and fairness in the institutions of the country.
“By incorporating staff from a wide range of communities, SHA aspires to strengthen public trust, promote fairness in employment, and ensure that the institution reflects the rich social fabric of the nation,” said Mwangangi.
This clearance comes at a time when the SHA is still under scrutiny regarding how it is being run and how its services are being offered in the country.
