The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) is taking deliberate steps to address historical ethnic imbalances in its workforce, according to Board Chairperson Ndiritu Muriithi. Speaking during an interview with NTV on Tuesday, Muriithi acknowledged that past recruitment at the tax agency has favored certain communities and assured Kenyans that ongoing hiring efforts will aim to reflect the country’s ethnic diversity.
The KRA is currently conducting a major recruitment exercise, seeking to fill top positions including four commissioners, 12 deputy commissioners, and nearly 30 chief managers, among other roles. Muriithi emphasized that this process presents an opportunity to redress staffing disparities that have drawn public concern and judicial scrutiny in recent years.
“We are well underway in the recruitment process, and it provides us with an opportunity to correct any imbalance that may have been there in the past,” Muriithi said. “We are being supported by a professional human resource firm to ensure fairness, equity, and transparency.”
High Court Ruling Sparks Reforms
The pledge to pursue ethnic inclusivity follows a 2024 High Court ruling that declared unconstitutional a previous KRA recruitment of over 1,400 revenue service assistants. The court found that 57 percent of those jobs went to individuals from the Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities, raising alarms over ethnic bias and political influence in public hiring.
Muriithi admitted that the skewed composition of KRA’s current senior leadership traces back to a specific recruitment cohort from past years, when graduate trainees were disproportionately drawn from a limited demographic.
“Many of our current senior managers were hired in that cohort. That’s what created the difficulty,” he explained. “What happened, happened. We may not be able to fix it instantly, but I want the country to know this is a work in progress.”
Corrective Measures, Not Exclusion
Asked whether the planned diversity drive could result in the exclusion of individuals from previously overrepresented communities, Muriithi clarified that the goal is not to discriminate but to proactively ensure balanced representation.
“It’s not about locking anyone out. It is about consciously correcting past imbalances. If you’re going to hire a hundred people, you must proactively address where gaps exist,” he said.
He further emphasized that all parts of Kenya have qualified, competent individuals capable of serving the republic.
“There’s no corner of this country where you won’t find talented, passionate people. You have no reason to just stay in one little corner. It is wrong, in principle and in practice.”
Political Interference Acknowledged
In a rare admission, Muriithi confirmed that the controversial 2023 recruitment process, now under legal scrutiny, was marred by political interference, which partly explains the disproportional hiring patterns that emerged. The admission adds to growing calls for insulation of public recruitment processes from political manipulation.
KRA, which currently has over 9,000 employees, is under pressure to uphold meritocracy and equity in its hiring practices, especially given its pivotal role in mobilizing national revenue and enforcing tax compliance.
As the new recruitment drive continues, all eyes will be on KRA to deliver a workforce that not only meets technical and professional standards but also mirrors Kenya’s diverse society. Stakeholders are calling for sustained oversight and accountability mechanisms to ensure the agency’s reform efforts are not just cosmetic but enduring.
Written By Rodney Mbua
