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.