The Lower Eastern Times Opening The Third Eye
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The Social Health Authority (SHA) workforce is largely dominated by members of the Kalenjin and Somali communities, although CEO Mercy Mwangangi maintains that the agency complies with legal requirements on ethnic balance.
A report presented to the Senate Committee on National Cohesion shows SHA has 564 employees, with Kalenjin staff making up 17.7 per cent (100 employees), followed by Somalis at 14 per cent (79 employees), and Kikuyus at 12.1 per cent (68 employees).
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Other major groups include the Kamba with 10.5 per cent (59 employees), while both Luhya and Luo communities account for 7.8 per cent each (44 employees). The Kisii community ranks next with 6.4 per cent (36 employees).
Dr Mwangangi stated that the authority adheres to the law, ensuring no single ethnic group exceeds the one-third threshold required under national cohesion regulations.
The report also shows that the top eight communities account for about 80 per cent of all jobs at SHA, while smaller communities have significantly lower representation.
Among minority groups, the Borana lead with 2.8 per cent, followed by Maasai at 2.3 per cent, with others such as Embu, Gabra, Mijikenda, Turkana, and Teso having smaller shares.
To address disparities, Mwangangi said recent recruitment efforts prioritized applicants from marginalized communities, including offering waivers where necessary to boost inclusivity.
On gender, the authority meets the legal requirement of at least one-third representation for either gender, with women making up 49.8 per cent and men 50.2 per cent of the workforce.
She added that SHA also promotes inclusion of persons with disabilities, who currently make up 5.22 per cent of staff.
In terms of age, the workforce is a mix of young and mid-career employees, with the largest group aged between 41 and 50 years, followed by those under 35.
The agency further noted ongoing efforts to support youth, women, and persons with disabilities through procurement opportunities, spending over Sh62.9 million in the 2024/25 financial year under such programs.
