The government is planning to sue Kiambu county for passing a motion implementing "ethnic laws" that compelled public and private institutions to source 70 percent of its workforce from the dominant community.
Spokesman Eric Kiraithe on Thursday stated that public and private firms, as well as businesses, must comply with national values and principles.
The values are merit, high standards of professionalism and ethics, efficient, effective and economical use of resources, inclusiveness and equal opportunity of employment.
In a letter seen by Kenyans.co.ke, Kiraithe stated that the only other consideration is for purposes of affirmative action, gender, people living with disability and minority groups.
[caption caption="Government Spokesperson Eric Kiraithe"]
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"Ethnicity and county of origin must not be sold as a factor of entitling any person for special consideration but as a mere road which we must travel from individual identity to a cohesive and prosperous Kenya."
"We want to state categorically that ethnicity is not a qualification for employment anywhere. Private entities and businesses are encouraged to employ qualified Kenyans with the professional competence to achieve their respective corporate intent," Kiraithe remarked.
"County governments are public institutions. They are duty bound to follow the constitutional standards and give jobs to Kenyans with the attitude and professional competence to deliver," part of the letter stated.
He maintained that leaders must understand that national development will be achieved through the unity and working together not by lying to a section of Kenyans that they will get jobs because they are from certain tribes.
On December 14, the ward representatives stated that institutions, among them public universities, which fail to adhere to the directive would have their licences revoked.
[caption caption="The letter from the government spokesman Eric Kiraithe"]
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The motion was moved by Kiambu Majority Leader Anthony Ikonya and was unanimously passed by all 92 MCAs.
