President William Ruto has announced that the Cabinet has approved the National Policy on Ethnic Minorities, Indigenous, and Marginalised Communities, describing it as a transformative blueprint aimed at mandating changes in public service hiring.
The policy seeks to ensure the full integration and representation of marginalised communities across government institutions, in line with constitutional requirements.
Speaking during the International Minorities Day celebrations at State House, Nairobi, on Thursday, President Ruto said the Cabinet’s approval marks a major milestone in addressing longstanding inequalities in public service.
He explained that the policy will now be forwarded to Parliament for consideration and adoption, paving the way for a sessional paper to guide inclusion and representation.
''Today, I’m pleased to announce that the Cabinet has approved the National Policy on Ethnic Minorities, Indigenous, and Marginalised Communities. I will launch this transformative blueprint, which provides a comprehensive roadmap for the full realisation of Article 56 of the Constitution.''
He emphasised that the policy will introduce mandatory requirements that will guide government ministries, departments and agencies, as well as counties, to ensure members of minority and indigenous communities are fairly represented in civil service recruitment and leadership positions.
Further, the policy will mandate affirmative action in public service and public procurements for marginalised communities, as well as targeted investments by the government in many areas occupied by the communities to sustain their economies.
''In this policy that we will be taking to Parliament, we have agreed that in the employment of civil servants to the government, we will be ensuring that it will be mandatory that the minorities be included in the employment as per the Kenyan Constitution,'' he added.
Ruto also announced that the policy will guarantee affirmative action in access to credit for the communities.
Among the initiatives outlined in the policy is the establishment of nomadic mobile schools to ensure access to education for pastoralists and mobile communities.
The Ministry of Education will allocate Ksh200 million annually to build, upgrade, and equip schools and colleges in minority and marginalised areas, President Ruto announced.
He further announced that the creation of the Minorities and Marginalised Communities Directorate provides for the creation of the National Council of Ethnic Minorities to strengthen institutional oversight and coordination of policies aimed at promoting equity and inclusion.
''The Minorities and Marginalised Affairs Unit within the Executive Office of the President is hereby elevated into a semiautonomous agency, with the legal and financial authority required to effectively coordinate, implement, and safeguard all matters concerning minority and marginalised communities in Kenya,'' Ruto announced.
''The Minorities and Marginalised Communities Directorate shall be immediately established within the Executive Office of the President to coordinate implementation across government.''
The President said this shift will help accelerate the mainstreaming of minority rights and ensure accountability in government hiring and development planning.
