Kenya Insights

Tag: tribalism

  • How Kikuyus Dominate Appointments In Top State Departments

    How Kikuyus Dominate Appointments In Top State Departments

    The head of Public Service Mr. Felix Koskei has been challenged to ensure equitable distribution of jobs across all government ministries and parastatals among all the 42 tribes in Kenya to reflect the true face of country.

    This comes after revelations that Members of Mount Kenya mainly from the Kikuyu community, dominate most of the lucrative State jobs as they occupy plum positions in the departments of accounts, procurement and human resources.

    The other 41 tribes are left to grapple and occupy lesser positions in the key departments that make up 21 ministries in the administration of President William  Ruto.

    Data from the ministries reveal that in accounts department, 55% of those holding key positions in the ministries are from the Kikuyu community, while in procurement and human resources departments, the same favored community holds 34% and 57% as its heads in government ministries.

    The deputy CEO at the Public Service Commission, Jane Chege, is the one who assisting civil servants from her community to ascend to the top positions in the key departments in the government. Most of these senior officers who benefited from Chege’s ‘generosity’ have been accused of bullying a section of junior officers under them.

    Some of the said senior officers even threaten their juniors with transfer, demotion or sack if they do not heed to their sexual demands or instructions to aide corrupt activities.

    Chege influences the posting of her kinsmen to the most lucrative positions in government ministries and departments where most of them overstay and loot from public coffers while non-Kikuyu officers are transferred frequently.

    Below is a list of some of the HR directors in some ministries in the government from the Kikuyu community who call shots.

    1. Foreign Affairs – Mr Gitu
    2. Treasury -Susan Mucheru
    3. Interior- Mr Giuthua
    4. Infrastructure- Joyce Gichomo
    5. Environment – Rosemary Wamoto
    6. Immigration -Christine Nyambura
    7. Labour – Owen Mwaniki
    8. CBC- Rosebell Wainaina
    9. Asal-Ann Kareithi
    10. Youth- Zipporah Mutahi
    11. Housing and Urban Development -Susan Wangare
    12. Shipping and Maritime – Rosemary Gichoi
    13. Correctional Services – Mary Mugure
    14. Broadcasting and Telecommunications- Miriam Gitau
    15. Devolution -Leonard Ngotho
    16. Maritime Academy-Francis Muraya (on contract)
    17. KNBS- Ann Mburu 19. Petroleum-Alice Maina
    18. Water-Carol Mugwe 21. East Africa -Macharia Kibe
    19. ICT and Digital Economy -James Muriuki
    20. Training and Development-David Njoroge
    21. Mining-Agnes Njer

    Kenya Insights has also learnt that most of these officers were teachers before they were appointed by PSC to boost capacity in ministries and state departments in the civil service to enhance training and development (HRD) between 2005 and 2012.

    The same is the case across other cadres (technical), whereby it is only one community that dominates the most lucrative ministries and departments. Most members of kikuyu community are posted to key ministries and departments as an avenue of corruption.

  • Corruption And Ethnic Imbalance At University of Kabianga

    Corruption And Ethnic Imbalance At University of Kabianga

    Tender wars, tribalism and corruption have crippled the academic standards as well as infrastructural development at the University of Kabianga.

    Last week, one of the poorly managed Higher learning institution located in Kabianga Division in Kericho County celebrated its 7th graduation ceremony. The University’s council members and head of deans leadership is almost 90 per cent Kalenjin dominated.

    According to Weekly Citizen, in the worrying trend of alarming tribalism right from the management board, deans to the director, it’s the names of the Kalinjins which have prominently featured.

    Prof Wilson Kipngeno is Kabiangas  Vice-Chancellor under a management board that also boats of a host of his tribesmen including Prof Eric Koech, CPA Willy Koech, Ms Janet Nankui (Librarian), Dr. Cecillia Sang (Academic), Mr Kipkoech Kimalel (Admin), Dr Rev Edwin Too (PR and D) and Mr. Geoffrey Sowek (ICT director).

    The ethnic imbalance is clearly laid out, from the 8 management board members, there are only three individuals from other regions, Prof Elijah Omwenga(DVC A and SA), Prof Maurice Oduor (DVC, PRD) and Ms Ayuma Robai (Legal Officer).

    The pattern continues as—Dr. Peter Cheruiyot is the Dean of school of Business and economics, Dr Harrison Bii (Dean, School of Information Science and knowledge management) and Dr Joyce Kiplimo (Dean, Science and Technology).

    Worst hit is the directors section which has Dr. Janet Kombich (Director, Kericho town campus), Mr. Kipkirui Rono (Director, Sotik Campus), Dr. Erick Mibei (Director Kapkatet campus), Dr. Hellen Sang (Director, Gender Development), Dr. Andrew Kipkosgey (Director, Quality Assurance), Prof Joash Kibett (Director, board of graduate studies) and Mr. Geoffrey Sowek (ICT director).

    Kabianga University is tussling with a range of dubious deals and the masterminds of the dirty deals are folks speaking the same language— vernacular to be specific.

    An audit report by the outgoing Auditor General Edward Ouko revealed a widespread financial mismanagement. Ouko pointed to a possible escalation of the sh1, 075,100 Pineapple plant project that is now haunting the masterminds.

    On their 7th graduation ceremony, council chairperson Dr Florence Nyamu managed to sneak her defence inside her graduation day message in a handsomely paid Newspaper advertisement. Kenya Insights could independently establish whether Nyamu directly benefited from the loot but she was tasked to defend the controversial project.

    According to Dr Nyamu, the University is implementing the fruit juice processing plant to process pineapple juice and other fruits towards ththe the pillar on food security.

    There are myriads of similar issues that have turned the university into a laughing stock. In a most recent case, the grammatical error in communication targeting fourth-year students drew the wrath of students who faulted the institution for its ineptitude. Students from other universities now refer to Kabianga as a localized university and should, therefore, be forgiven for such errors seemingly driven by vernacular influence.

    The Weekly Citizen also published that Gatundu MP Moses Kuria is intertwined in the controversial sh1.2 billion construction tender at the University. Irate group of professionals from the Rift Valley region alleged that Kuria is associated with the company that was awarded the lucrative tender at the expense of all the qualified Bomet County contractors to revamp and construct the university.