Abstract
In Kenya, ethnicity has been one of the social problems since independence. It cuts across all sectors of the economy including education. Ethnicity is witnessed in forms of recruitment, promotion, transfer and deployment of lecturers and other non-teaching members of staff. In the universities there is ethnic consideration in recruitment of Chairs of the Council, Vice Chancellors and their Deputies and other top leaders. Politicians in many cases have tried to influence appointments of the top leaderships of public universities. The public universities have more lecturers and the non-teaching staff from the local ethnic group. Ethnicity has also impacted university students as well, especially when electing their student leaders. This paper examines the causes of ethnicity and some of the recommendations on how to tackle the vice. Some of the recommendations include empowering the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and vetting of Vice Chancellors and Council members.
Highlights
Ethnicity can be defined as belonging to a social group that has common socio-cultural values like culture, religion and languages
This paper examines the causes of ethnicity and some of the recommendations on how to tackle the vice
In some public universities and constituent colleges, there is a possibility of a college, school or department having more academic and support staff coming from the same tribe because the head of that section belongs to the group
Summary
The issue of ethnicity in Kenya is illuminated in terms of the historical perspective and how the colonial government perpetuated divisions among the indigenous groups in Kenya. Other pertinent issues discussed include; students’ admission, employment of staff, composition of the university councils, appointment of Vice Chancellors and Chairs of university councils, and location of universities and constituent colleges in various counties in the country
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