A report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu reveals a significant ethnic imbalance in the staffing of the Office of the Deputy President during Rigathi Gachagua’s tenure before his impeachment.
The audit, which examined personnel records for the 2023/2024 financial year, found that the office employed 542 staff members.
Of these, 249, or 46%, hailed from a single ethnic community, his Kikuyu community, which is a clear violation of the National Cohesion and Integration Act of 2008.
According to Sections 7(1) and 7(2) of the Act, public institutions must ensure a diverse workforce, with no more than one-third of employees drawn from any one ethnic group.
In addition to the ethnic concerns, the report also highlighted that 42 employees were paid a net salary that was less than one-third of their basic salary during certain months, in violation of Section 19(3) of the Employment Act, 2007.
This section stipulates that wage deductions should not exceed two-thirds of an employee’s pay.
