Auditor General’s report exposes ethnic bias, employment malpractices in Tana River county

The Auditor General Nancy Gathungu has laid bare worrying trends of ethnic bias and irregularities in employment practices within the Tana River County Government.

The review of the June 2024 payroll has revealed that 38 percent of the county’s employees belong to one ethnic community, far exceeding the 30 percent threshold prescribed under the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008.

"The Act mandates that no single community should hold more than 30 percent of county jobs to promote diversity and national cohesion," read the report in part.

This revelation is a major violation of the law, raising concerns over the fairness of the county's hiring practices.

The report's findings expose a stark reality of ethnic favouritism that flies in the face of efforts to foster unity in the diverse county.

With over a third of its workforce being drawn from one community, the Tana River County Government has been accused of sidelining other ethnic groups in recruitment.

"This practice undermines the spirit of equality and national integration as ascribed in the law," read the report by Gathungu.

The situation has led to public outcry and calls for immediate reforms to ensure that the county’s public service reflects the ethnic diversity of the local population.

In addition to the ethnic bias in hiring, the Auditor General’s report highlighted the county’s failure to consider persons living with disabilities (PLWDs) in recent recruitment.

Of the 162 new employees hired in the recent recruitment drive, not a single person living with a disability was employed, violating Section 13 of the Persons with Disability Act, 2003.

The Act requires public institutions to reserve at least five percent of employment opportunities for PLWDs to promote inclusivity and equal opportunity.

This omission has sparked criticism from disability rights groups, who have accused the county administration of neglecting the rights of a vulnerable population that continues to face barriers to employment and opportunity.

"It has become a norm, they view people living with disability as a burden in the work environment, and finally the auditor general has seen and hence it must be fixed," said Elizabeth Balo, Chairperson PWD Board.

Moreover, the audit found irregular salary deductions affecting hundreds of county employees.

The examination of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Database revealed that 331 employees had salary deductions exceeding two-thirds of their basic pay, a breach of Section 19(3) of the Employment Act.

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The law prohibits deductions beyond this limit to protect employees from financial hardship. The report suggests that many workers have been subjected to excessive deductions, leaving them with insufficient take-home pay.

This finding has raised concerns about the county’s management of payroll and its adherence to employment laws.

Responding to the report, County Finance Executive Brenda Mokaya distanced the county administration from the hiring process, stating that employment matters are handled by the County Public Service Board, an independent body.

"We only request staff to fill gaps in the administration, but we don’t participate in recruitment," Mokaya said.

On the issue of excessive salary deductions, she explained that many employees had taken out multiple loans from various financial institutions, leading to overcommitment of their salaries.

Mokaya stressed that the administration has no control over individual employee financial decisions.

Despite these explanations, the findings have put the Tana River County Government under intense scrutiny.

The revelations of ethnic bias, failure to employ PLWDs, and salary deduction irregularities have exposed significant governance and administrative challenges that demand urgent reforms.

Civil society groups have called for an investigation into the County Public Service Board’s hiring practices and measures to ensure compliance with the law.

"This is an important conversation about equality, fairness, and good governance in public service. We have been raising these matters of ethnic bias not just in the county executive, but also at the assembly, and we are glad someone is paying attention," said John Dhadho, Chairperson of the Civil Societies Organisation Network.