MPs flag ethnic imbalances in Kenya Prisons workforce, urge fair hiring

MPs flag ethnic imbalances in Kenya Prisons workforce, urge fair hiring - Kenya Prisons Service officers during a past parade. (Photo: KPS/Facebook)

According to Committee Chair Adan Yusuf Haji, KPS is better positioned than many other government agencies to achieve ethnic balance because it operates facilities in every county.

The Kenya Prisons Service (KPS) is facing scrutiny over ethnic imbalances in its workforce, with legislators calling for reforms to ensure fair representation of all communities during recruitment.

The issue came to the fore during a meeting with Commissioner General Patrick Aranduh at Bunge Towers in Nairobi, where the National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities challenged KPS to comply with constitutional requirements on ethnic diversity and provide equal employment opportunities for minority and marginalised groups.

Committee members questioned why the Service had not leveraged its nationwide presence to ensure its workforce reflects the country's ethnic diversity.

According to Committee Chair Adan Yusuf Haji, KPS is better positioned than many other government agencies to achieve ethnic balance because it operates facilities in every county.

“With prisons in all counties, I don't expect the Agency not to comply with the constitutional requirements of employment diversity,” said Haji, who is the Mandera West MP.

A report presented by Aranduh showed that the Service has a workforce of 33,427 officers, including 7,234 Kalenjins and 5,360 Kikuyus.

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The Commissioner General of the Kenya Prisons Service, Patrick Aranduh. (Photo: Kenya Prisons Service)

Teso North MP Oku Kaunya questioned the recruitment criteria, arguing that some communities were inadequately represented in the correctional service.

“Which criteria are you using to hire officers during recruitment that only favour one community at the expense of the others?” Kaunya posed.

Kaunya said few members of the Teso community had secured jobs in the Service and urged its leadership to ensure minority communities receive fair consideration during recruitment.

The Committee also raised concerns over the Service’s failure to meet the legal requirement that at least five per cent of its workforce comprise persons living with disabilities.

In response, Aranduh acknowledged the gaps in ethnic diversity and said the next recruitment exercise would provide an opportunity to address the imbalance.

“We have forwarded our requests for recruitment, and we are waiting for approval and dates. We will use the exercise to ensure we correct ethnic imbalances in our employment,” he said.

Aranduh also informed the Committee that the Service had attained gender balance within its workforce.

“Out of the 33,427 staff establishment, we have 25,227 males, translating to 75 per cent, and 8,200 females, representing 24.5 per cent,” he explained.