NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 13 — The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has warned that 10 minority and marginalized ethnic communities remain completely excluded from employment in public universities and their constituent colleges, a trend that threatens Kenya’s diversity and cohesion goals.In its latest audit of ethnic representation in higher education, the commission found that out of 27,596 university employees, there was not a single person from the Dahalo, El Molo, Konso, Gosha, Oromo, Makonde, Malakote (Walwana), Wayuu, Kenyan American, or Kenyan European communities.“The complete lack of representation of certain ethnic groups denies opportunities to enhance the face of Kenya in these academic institutions,” the report stated. “This situation highlights a significant setback in promoting ethnic diversity within the higher education sector.”The NCIC further noted that half of the public universities show a strong correlation between the ethnic background of their vice-chancellors or principals and that of the dominant ethnic group among staff. In sixteen universities, there was a clear alignment between the vice chancellor’s ethnicity and that of senior decision-makers, raising concerns about inclusivity in hiring and leadership.Universities cited for notable ethnic clustering include Cooperative University, Pwani University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Rongo University, University of Kabianga, Kirinyaga University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Kisii University, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, University of Eldoret, and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.The NCIC urged the Ministry of Education and university councils to take urgent corrective measures to ensure equitable representation across Kenya’s diverse communities, in line with constitutional principles of national unity and equal opportunity. The findings are part of the Commission’s ongoing national cohesion review of public institutions.