MPs Fault State Agencies Over Poor Hiring of PWDs

The National Assembly Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity has raised concern over the low number of persons with disabilities (PWDs) employed in major State corporations.

While meeting top management from four key agencies, Committee Chairperson and Mandera North MP Yusuf Adan Haji said it was worrying that most government institutions are still far from meeting the constitutional requirement of reserving at least 5% of jobs for PWDs.

The agencies that appeared before the committee were the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) and the Geothermal Development Company (GDC).

In figures submitted to the committee, KeNHA recorded 11 employees living with disabilities out of 474 staff members — representing only 2.3%. GDC had 20 out of 904 employees (2%) while KeRRA recorded only 9 out of 690 employees, representing just 1.3%.

“It is very sad that PWDs are still excluded from employment in key State agencies despite the Constitution stipulating that 5% of positions be set aside for them,” said MP Haji. “State bodies should lead by example and meet at least the minimum threshold. The Committee will not take it kindly if the marginalisation continues.”

When questioned on why they had not met the requirement, the agencies cited challenges such as low number of applications from PWDs, weak qualifications among applicants, and limited new recruitments as most staff had already been seconded from parent ministries.

The officials, however, stated that they have policies in place to encourage more PWDs to apply for employment and promised to work toward achieving the constitutional target. They even suggested that Parliament consider passing a law that enforces a fixed quota for hiring PWDs to ensure compliance across all State agencies.

The meeting also reviewed the ethnic balance of employees in the agencies and their adherence to allocating 30% of procurement opportunities to women, youth and PWD-owned enterprises.

Committee members further urged the agencies to advertise job openings in more channels beyond online postings so that people from marginalised communities, who may lack internet access, can also benefit.

Recently Head of Public Service Felix Koskei ordered all government institutions to allocate 30% of tenders to youths, women and PWDs.