Kikuyus, Luos and Luhyas form majority of employees at Kemsa

Kikuyu constitute 22.42 per cent of employees at KEMSA. Luos are at 15.66 per cent and Luhyas at 14.23 per cent.  [Samson Wire, Standard]

Kikuyus, Luos and Luhyas make up the majority of staff at the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa), a report before Parliament has revealed.

The report, tabled by the medical supplies agency before the National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunity, shows that Kikuyu, with 124 of their own at the agency, constitute 22.42 per cent.

They are followed by the Luo at 15.66 per cent and Luhyas at 14.23 per cent with the two having 88 and 83 of their own, respectively, working at Kemsa.

With 69 Kambas at the government institution, the community makes up 12.28 per cent while the Kalenjin's 63 hold 11.21 per cent of the total staff population of 562.

Kisiis are 41 (6.94 per cent), Meru 29 (5.52 per cent), Somalis 16 (3.02 per cent), Saboats 15 (2.67 per cent) and Embus 10 (1.78 percent).

Those with the least representation include Pokots at 6 (1.07 per cent), Mijikenda 3 (0.71 per cent), Swahili 2 (0.36 per cent) Teso 2 (0.36 per cent) and Borana 1 (0.18 per cent).

“Kemsa has complied with the National Cohesion Integration Act, 2008 by ensuring that the employees are diverse in terms of ethnicity. No single ethnic group has more than a third of the staff with the highest being 22 per cent,” reads the report.

The Authority had appeared before the House team to answer queries on the ongoing assessment of employment diversity in the public service.

The Mandera MP Yussuf Adan-led committee had summoned Kemsa Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mulwa to shed light on the agency's employment composition in terms of tribes, gender and inclusion of People Living with Disabilities (PWDs).

It showed that the authority currently has a total of 12 members of staff who are living with disabilities (PWDs).

Mulwa said the authority had employed fewer PWDs but was working towards increasing the same.

To ensure they had a friendly work environment, he said the organisation had prioritised accessibility for persons with disabilities by implementing ramps, lifts and essential utilities.

In terms of gender, males accounted for 349 staff (62.10 per cent) while the female staff were 213(37.90 per cent).

The committee, however, pressed Kemsa management hard to explain why it had not complied with the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, 2015 which requires the 30 per cent reservation of public procurement for disadvantaged groups, including youth.

Mulwa pointed out challenges such as high capital requirements, procurement of specialised health products and technologies and delayed delivery by the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) programme.