KNBS Boss Faces Senate Heat Over Hiring Practices
The Director General of the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Macdonald Obudho, is under intense pressure after senators accused the agency of lacking inclusivity in its hiring practices.
Obudho was summoned by the Senate Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration on Monday, July 14, to explain how the bureau is promoting diversity within its workforce.
During the session, the committee, led by Marsabit Senator Mohamed Said Chute, raised concerns about the demographic structure of employees at KNBS.
The senators questioned whether the bureau was genuinely representing Kenya’s diversity in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, and the inclusion of persons living with disabilities (PWDs).
Senator Chute ordered the KNBS boss to provide a full report within seven days. The report must include a gender mainstreaming policy that supports a gender-sensitive working environment, along with details showing the number of men, women, youth, and persons with disabilities currently employed at the institution.
The lawmakers sought answers on whether KNBS had implemented any strategies or programs to encourage the employment and active participation of youth, women, and people living with disabilities.
They also asked whether the bureau had conducted any internal audits or assessments in the past three years to track its progress in these critical areas.
Tensions escalated further after the committee learned that KNBS had recently hired new employees mostly from five ethnic groups. These five communities already dominate the bureau’s staffing, making up more than half of the total workforce.
This raised questions about why 14 ethnic communities still had no representation within the organization.
The senators demanded an explanation as to why the recent recruitment drive failed to address this imbalance and why applicants from underrepresented communities were not prioritized.
In his response, Obudho defended the bureau’s hiring practices, stating that KNBS had put in place affirmative action strategies, recruitment procedures that encourage inclusivity, and regular monitoring of human resource policies.
He argued that population census data had been considered during the recruitment process to ensure fair representation of different ethnic groups.
“We are making efforts to include other communities as we continue with recruitment. The challenge is that some of these communities are not applying for the jobs, but we are using affirmative action to address this issue and improve ethnic balance,” Obudho explained.
He also pointed out that at least five percent of the KNBS workforce comprises persons with disabilities, and the bureau strictly observes the legal requirement that no more than two-thirds of employees should be of the same gender.
Obudho added that the institution has incorporated various programs to promote diversity and inclusivity, such as leadership development, gender equality frameworks, and disability mainstreaming.
According to him, KNBS is committed to creating a work environment where all Kenyans, regardless of background, have an equal opportunity to serve.
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