Two damning reports have exposed deep-rooted tribalism in at least 19 public universities, laying bare the stark ethnic imbalances in the country’s institutions of higher learning.
The reports by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) reveal entrenched patterns of ethnic dominance that raise questions about compliance with the Constitution and the state of national cohesion.
The findings show that about 10 of Kenya's minority ethnic communities are completely excluded from employment in public universities.
The report by Ms Gathungu found that at least 19 of the country’s 42 public universities have engaged in ethnic-based recruitment, with dominant communities in the regions where the institutions are located taking the lion’s share of jobs.
Among the institutions cited is Koitalel Samoei University College which has about 100 employees. Of these, 73 percent come from the dominant local community (Kalenjin), leaving only 27 percent of jobs for other communities. At Rongo University in Migori County, members of the Luo community account for 72 percent of the workforce, leaving 28 percent for other groups.
Similarly, at University of Kabianga in Kericho County, at least 70 percent of the 451 teaching and non-teaching staff belong to the Kalenjin community. Other institutions where about 70 percent of staff come from the dominant local community include Mama Ngina University College (Kikuyu) and Kaimosi Friends University (Luhya).
In Nyanza region, the local Luo community dominates employment at Maseno University and Tom Mboya University, accounting for 66 percent and 61 percent of staff respectively.
At Moi University, at least 64 percent of the 2,739 employees are from the Kalenjin community. Kikuyus dominate employment at Dedan Kimathi University of Technology while Luhyas form the majority at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
At Kisii University, members of the local community account for 65 percent of employees.
Dominant tribes in varsity employment: Kikuyu, Kalenjin and Luo
Koitalel Samoei University College in Nandi County.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Communities that dominate employment in public universities include the Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Luo, Luhya, Kamba and Kisii. Meanwhile, minority groups such as the Gabra, Ilchamus (Njemps), Rendille, Aweer/Watta, Dorobo and Sakuye are among those least represented.
Other institutions where dominant communities hold the majority of jobs include Machakos University (60 percent), University of Eldoret (60 percent), Garissa University (60 percent), Murang'a University of Technology (58 percent), and South Eastern Kenya University (51 percent).
The list also includes Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (45 percent), Laikipia University (35 percent) and Technical University of Kenya (32 percent). The data indicates that six ethnic communities collectively hold about three-quarters of all jobs across the 19 universities.
A separate report by the NCIC titled The Ethnic and Diversity Audit of Parastatals 2025 and The Ethnic and Diversity Audit of Public Universities 2025 paints a similar picture. The audit, which surveyed 27,596 employees, found that only 11 out of the 40 public universities comply with the National Cohesion and Integration Act.
“Together, these six dominant communities take up 85.71 percent of all the jobs in universities and their constituent colleges, leaving 14.29 percent to the remaining 29 communities,” the report states.
The audit also revealed a strong link between the ethnic background of university leadership and the dominant ethnic group within institutions.
“At least 50 percent of universities demonstrate this relationship. Furthermore, in 16 universities there exists a strong correlation between the ethnic group of the vice chancellor and that of the senior staff who hold significant decision-making power,” the report states.
The main entrance at Rongo University.
Photo credit: George Odiwuor | Nation Media Group
Among the universities most affected by this pattern are Cooperative University of Kenya, Pwani University, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, Rongo University, University of Kabianga, Kirinyaga University, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology and Kisii University.
Others cited include Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Maseno University, Moi University, University of Eldoret, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenyatta University and Alupe University.
