Tribalism rocks key state ministries, departments – Weekly Citizen

The head of Public Service Felix Koskei has been called upon to ensure that there is equitable distribution of jobs in government ministries and parastatals among all tribes in the country to reflect the face of Kenya.

Members of Mount Kenya mainly from the Kikuyu community, dominate most of government jobs in key positions in the departments of accounts, procurement and human resources.

The other 42 tribes occupy lesser positions in the key departments that make up 21 ministries in President William Ruto’s newly formed government.

In accounts department, 55pc of its key position holders in the ministries are said to be people who are from the Kikuyu community, while in procurement and human resources departments, the community holds 34pc and 57pc as its heads in government ministries.

Jane Chege, who is the deputy CEO at the Public Service Commission, it is claimed, has been the one who assisting civil servants from her community to ascend to the top positions in the key departments in the government.

Some of those who have benefited from alleged Chege’s generosity are said to be frustrating a section of junior officers under them.

It is said that the senior officers even threaten their juniors with transfer, demotion or sack if they do not heed to their demands or direction, and some even are rumoured to be involved in corruption activities.

Chege is said to be pushing for the posting of her kinsmen to the most lucrative positions in government ministries and departments.

Most of them have overstayed in the ministries and departments while non-Kikuyus officers are transferred frequently.

This is the 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 Njeri It was also revealed that most of these officers were teachers before they were appointed by PSC mainly to boost capacity in ministries and departments in the civil service to enhance training and development (HRD) between 2005 and 2012.

The same scenario replicates itself across other cadres (technical), whereby it is one community that dominates the most lucrative ministries and departments. “The trend is the same everywhere in the service. Look even in the accounts, it’s an ethnically shameless list of 30/54 are Kikuyus posted to lucrative ministries and departments,’’ said a sources who sought anonymity.

In the supply chain management personnel or procurement officers, the source said that out of 53 heads of the departments, 18 are from the Kikuyu community and are posted to key ministries and departments as an avenue of corruption.