Local authorities fund faces Senate scrutiny over staff ethnic makeup, disability inclusion gaps
The fund, which has 137 staff members, was praised for having 54.1 per cent women but criticised for employing only 1.46 per cent persons with disabilities, well below the 5 per cent legal requirement.
The Local Authorities Provident Fund (LAPFUND) has been faulted by the Senate for falling short on key inclusion and diversity targets, with lawmakers demanding urgent reforms and accountability from the agency’s top leadership.
LAPFUND Chief Executive Officer Benard Mbogoh was on Tuesday questioned by the Senate Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity, and Regional Integration over the Fund’s failure to fully comply with constitutional requirements on fair representation of women, youth, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and minority groups.
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The Fund, which has a staff of 137, was praised for its gender balance, with women accounting for 54.1 per cent of the workforce. But senators expressed disappointment that only 1.46 per cent of its employees are persons with disabilities, far below the 5 per cent legal threshold.
In his defence, Mbogoh said LAPFUND had taken several steps to improve disability inclusion.
“We have mentorship programmes, disability mainstreaming policies, staff trained in sign language, and buildings adjusted to make them accessible,” he told the committee.
Success in procurement
Senators acknowledged the fund’s success in procurement, where it exceeded the required 30 per cent allocation to disadvantaged groups over the past three years, recording 50.94 per cent, 30 per cent and 47 per cent respectively.
Still, a 2023 review by the National Assembly flagged the agency for continuing gaps, especially in the representation of persons with disabilities.
The session took a sharper turn when senators raised concerns over LAPFUND’s ethnic composition.
They noted that three communities, Kalenjin at 22 per cent, Kikuyu at 20 per cent, and Luo at 11 per cent, make up a large portion of the staff, raising questions over whether the hiring process is fair and inclusive.
Strictly on merit
Mbogoh maintained that hiring at LAPFUND is done strictly on merit.
“We ensure equal opportunities in recruitment and promotions. We do not use ethnicity as a factor,” he said.
However, he failed to produce any documents to support this claim.
Unimpressed, Committee Chairperson Senator Mohamed Said Chute instructed Mbogoh to appear again before the Committee within a week, this time with detailed records to prove that the Fund’s practices align with the Constitution.
Senator Chute emphasised the importance of transparency in public bodies and reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to ensuring that all institutions uphold equity and inclusion.
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