Anti-Counterfeit Authority put on notice over ethnic, gender imbalance
The report named Kikuyu, Luo, Kamba, and Kalenjin as the dominant communities, holding over 54 per cent of the workforce.
The Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) has come under renewed scrutiny from a parliamentary committee over its failure to fully comply with constitutional diversity standards, especially in hiring and management representation.
During a session chaired by Budalangi MP Raphael Wanjala, the National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Implementation directed the Authority to take deliberate actions and report back within six months on measures taken to reflect Kenya’s ethnic and social diversity in its workforce.
More To Read
“We are committed to upholding the principles of national cohesion and equal opportunity as enshrined in the constitution,” said ACA CEO Robi Njoroge, appearing before the Committee to defend the Authority’s record on Friday.
But the Committee found the response lacking. Members cited a 2023 report by the National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity Committee that showed ACA had only hired staff from 16 ethnic groups, out of the country's 46.
This was far from the inclusive approach expected of public institutions.
The report, tabled in June 2023, further revealed that only nine ethnic groups were represented in senior management.
The report named Kikuyu, Luo, Kamba, and Kalenjin as the dominant communities, holding over 54 per cent of the workforce.
The same audit revealed that only three women were part of the eleven-member senior management team, and just 0.9 per cent of staff were persons with disabilities, well below the 5 per cent required by law.
MP Lilian Siyoi from Trans Nzoia took issue with the lack of targeted efforts to increase inclusion.
“You have subjected people with disability to the same requirements and are expecting to improve their representation at the Authority,” she said.
Recruitment methods
Mandera South MP Haro Abdul challenged the Authority’s recruitment methods.
“You need to be a bit strategic in your recruitment policy if you’re to meet this constitutional imperative,” he said.
The House had earlier directed the CA to extend job advertisements to reach a wider pool of applicants from different ethnic backgrounds and to collaborate with the National Council for Persons with Disabilities.
It also recommended that the Authority promote qualified women already in service to reduce gender imbalance at the top.
Despite the Authority claiming that it had improved ethnic diversity from 16 to 19 groups, MPs were not satisfied, especially as little had been done to improve representation for persons with disabilities.
MP Wanjala questioned the delays in promoting women already in the system.
“Why is it taking you so long to get equal representation of ladies at the management level, yet you don’t have to wait for a fresh recruitment to do so?” he asked. “Why not promote those already serving who have experience and have met the requirements?”
The MPS also asked the Authority to demonstrate that it had followed the directive on applying affirmative action and providing equal chances across age, gender, and disability.
Njoroge promised to give regular updates and committed to meeting the expectations of the House, but the Committee said only results would matter in future reviews.
The Committee's final direction was clear that the ACA must take concrete steps to diversify its workforce and deliver a full report within six months.
Top Stories Today
