• ODPP's chief of staff Lilian Obuo said that the shortlisting of candidates was not based on religion as a requirement.
•She said the shortlisting exercise adhered to national values and merit only
Image: FILE
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution on Wednesday defended itself over allegations of nepotism in its recruitment exercise.
This comes hot on the heels of allegations that shortlisting of candidates in the recently advertised jobs was skewed in favour of certain ethnic and religious groups.
In a statement on the allegations, ODPP's chief of staff Lilian Obuo said that the shortlisting of candidates was not based on religion as a requirement
She said the exercise adhered to national values and merit only.
Obuo, however, admitted that certain groups of people were given "special consideration" in line with the constitution.
"It is noteworthy that the positions of Senior Principal Finance Officer, Principal Administrative Officer, Principal Accountant and Senior Supply Chain Management Officer attracted the largest number of applicants who met the minimum requirements. Therefore, special consideration was given to persons who are currently least represented at the ODPP, applicants from marginalized areas and Persons with Disabilities."
Contrary to reports that claimed Muslims were largely favoured in several positions, ODPP now says only 45 Muslims were shortlisted while the number of Christians who made it to the list is 103.
Obuo says Muslims dominated in only three categories of shortlisted applicants: Senior Principal Finance Officer, Principal Accountant and Senior Supply Chain Management Officer.
"We recognize that in order for the ODPP to thrive and achieve its objectives, we must recruit, retain, and develop diverse talent from each of Kenya's 47 counties, including marginalized communities, with a variety of backgrounds, skills and capabilities."
"Therefore, diversity and inclusion is a high priority in the ODPP Human Resources agenda. This is with a strong recognition that helping employees feel represented at work is through having a representation of the face of Kenya at all levels and in all departments"
The clarification by the ODPP comes after a private citizen went to court to challenge the list of the shortlisted candidates.
Memba Ocharo, through his lawyer Danstan Omari, argues that the shortlisted candidates come from the same religious and ethnic backgrounds.
“The DPP Noordin Haji is in contravention of the Constitution which provides for the guiding principles of leadership and integrity especially the principle that leaders should not be guided by nepotism or favouritism,” he argued in court papers.
Ocharo wants the court to issue a conservatory order restraining the ODPP from carrying out interviews, background and/or reference checks, causing gazettement, offering an employment contract and eventually assigning any duties to the shortlisted applicants for the said positions