NAIROBI, Kenya, March 5 – The Office of the Auditor General has revealed that nearly half of the employees in the Office of the Deputy President (DP) during the 2023/2024 financial year were from a single ethnic group, breaching diversity laws.
According to the audit report, 249 out of 542 staff members—representing 49 percent—belonged to one ethnic community, contravening the National Cohesion and Integration Act.
The Act stipulates that no public establishment should have more than one-third of its staff from the same ethnic group to ensure diversity in public service.
“The employment of staff without consideration of ethnic diversity breached Sections 7(1) and 7(2) of the National Cohesion and Integration Act, 2008, which require public institutions to represent Kenya’s diversity,” the report stated.
In addition, the Auditor General found that 42 staff members in the DP’s office received net salaries below one-third of their basic pay, violating the Employment Act.
Section 19(3) of the Employment Act, 2007, mandates that deductions from employees’ salaries should not exceed two-thirds of their total earnings.
“A review of the office’s payroll revealed that 42 employees received a net salary below one-third of their basic pay in various months of the year,” the report noted.
The findings raise concerns about compliance with employment laws and diversity regulations in the DP’s office.
