Kitale: The Minority and Marginalized communities in Trans Nzoia County have urged the government to establish a distinct State Department dedicated to addressing their specific interests. This call was made during a public participation exercise on the Ethnic Minorities and Marginalised Communities Bill, 2025, held in Kitale on Friday. The participants emphasized that the creation and constitutional enshrinement of such a department would be a significant step towards ensuring their grievances are addressed, while also commending the government for establishing the Marginalised Affairs Unit in the Executive Office of the President.
According to Kenya News Agency, the public participation exercise, organized by the Minorities and Marginalised Affairs Unit, included representatives from nine minority and marginalized communities in Trans Nzoia. These groups were the Bongomek, Ogiek, Asians, Cherangani, Cabiny, Konyi, Sengwer, Mau Mau veterans, and civil society organizations.
Konyi representative Gregory Ngeywa expressed gratitude to President Dr. William Ruto for his support through the establishment of the Minorities and Marginalised Affairs Unit. Ngeywa highlighted that while the unit serves their interests, an autonomous state department would better address their grievances and interests. The communities also called for compensation for past injustices and resettlement of those displaced from their ancestral lands, emphasizing the need for full implementation of existing policies and laws to protect marginalized groups.
Johnson Masai, representing the Cabiny Community, advocated for equal economic empowerment and job opportunities, noting that no members from their community have been employed by the Trans Nzoia county government. Martin Simwota of the Civil Society groups supported creating a Minority and Marginalised State Department to address past injustices and violations, with a focus on compensating affected groups.
Josephat Barasa, representing people living with disabilities, underscored the need for representation of minorities and marginalized groups in legislative bodies. He proposed removing this responsibility from political parties, citing their failure to select appropriate representatives. Barasa suggested that representatives should be elected directly, similar to women representatives.
Tom Juma pointed out the lack of representation for People Living With Disabilities in county assemblies, including Trans Nzoia, describing the situation as concerning.