Great strides towards inclusion as women dominate county jobs
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior.
What you need to know:
- Leading counties include Makueni, Nakuru, Trans Nzoia, Nyeri, Kericho and Taita Taveta.
- In Makueni, for instance, women occupy 61 per cent of the total workforce in Governor Mutula Kilonzo's administration.
Trans Nzoia and Makueni top the list of at least seven counties that have employed more females than males, including in senior cadres.
In these counties, women control a lion’s share of the county jobs, including senior positions like chief officers and county executive committee members (CECMs).
In total, at least 336 females serve in senior cadres of CECMs and chief officers. According to records tabled in the Senate, women are slowly catching up with men in labour force participation, as counties slowly embrace gender parity policies, closing the gap between male and female workers.
The counties leading as good examples include Makueni, Nakuru, Trans Nzoia, Nyeri, Kericho and Taita Taveta. In Makueni, for instance, women occupy 61 per cent of the total workforce in Governor Mutula Kilonzo's administration.
“Out of 3,815 employees, 2311 are women, while 1,504 are male representing 61 and 39 per cent respectively,” the records tabled before the Senate read.
Women have also taken a huge chunk of the county's top leadership positions. In Trans Nzoia, Governor George Natembeya’s administration has implemented affirmative action to promote the recruitment of women, youth and persons living with disabilities.
“Trans Nzoia, with a total of 4,125 employees, has 2,278 female employees, which represents 55 per cent of the total workforce,” reads part of the records tabled before the Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration.
The two counties are among the few that have strictly observed the two-third gender rule by ensuring both genders are given near equal opportunity during recruitment.
Mr Natembeya, who appeared before the committee, revealed that his administration has put in place measures to ensure 85 per cent of recruitment go to people below the age of 35.
In Nyeri County, Governor Mutahi Kahiga's administration has employed 3,831 individuals, with 1,347 males and 2,484 females, according to the records.
Nyeri has 14 CECMs, including the county secretary and Attorney, with 11 males and three females. The county executive includes only one person with a disability who serves as chief officer.
Kericho County has a workforce of 3,869 employees, consisting of 1,498 males and 2,371 females, who have taken the lion’s share of county jobs, including in top positions. Among these employees, 40 are persons living with disabilities.
Taita Taveta County's workforce comprises 44 per cent men and 56 per cent women, according to the records. The county has employed 3,369 people, with 1,470 being men and 1,899 women.
In the Nairobi workforce, women are leading by 51 per cent in terms of labour in the county with men trailing by 49 per cent.
The Senate Committee has been auditing and assessing affirmative action strategies being implemented by the devolved units in the promotion of women, especially in leadership positions, across the 47 counties.
Last year, the National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) fingered 12 counties for flouting constitutional provisions on gender representation in the senior cadres of their workforce.
The devolved units included Isiolo, Embu, Laikipia, Kajiado, Siaya, Samburu, Machakos, Migori, Meru and Tana River.
The Constitution, in articles 27 (8) and 81(b) and 197, requires that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective and appointive bodies be of the same gender.
