The Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) has laid out a clearer picture of who works within its ranks, offering senators a glimpse into its efforts to build a more inclusive and representative workforce.
Appearing before the Senate Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities, the agency used the session not just to outline numbers, but to show how it is aligning its operations with constitutional expectations on diversity, fairness, and equal opportunity.
KURA, which operates under the Ministry of Roads and Transport, reminded the committee of its core role in managing, developing, rehabilitating, and maintaining urban trunk roads across the country. But beyond infrastructure, the spotlight this time was on people who they are, where they come from, and how they are represented.
Director General Silas Kinoti told senators that the authority currently employs 309 staff, drawn from a wide mix of ethnic communities. The data presented showed representation from major groups including Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya, and Kamba, reflecting an attempt at least on paper to mirror the country’s diversity.
However, the report also revealed a workforce that is largely middle-aged, with younger Kenyans barely represented.
‘’Majority of the staff are aged between 41 and 50 representing 49.84 percent of the total staff. There is only one employee in the category of thirty years and below, forming a partly 0.3 percent of the authority’s population.’’ The report indicated.
On inclusion, KURA reported that 12 employees about 3.87 percent of its workforce are persons living with disabilities, spread across different age groups and ethnic backgrounds. While the figure shows some level of inclusion, it also highlights the slow pace at which public institutions are absorbing vulnerable groups into formal employment.
Kinoti assured the committee that recruitment processes are guided by clear constitutional and legal frameworks designed to promote fairness and diversity.
“The final short list shall take into consideration merit, Kenya’s diverse communities, gender, youth, ethnicity, marginalized and minority rommunities and persons with disabilities in accordance with Articles 10, 27, 54 and 232 of the Constitution and the Public Service Commission Act, 2017.” Kinoti told the Senators.
Despite these commitments, the authority acknowledged that it has not brought in new staff over the past two financial years.
In the report on the recruitment process it further noted that, ‘’The authority did not undertake any recruitment of staff in the financial years 2023/24 and 2024/2025. However, an advertisement to fill thirty-three vacancies was made on 13th January 2026 and the selection process is ongoing.’’
To bridge the gap and nurture future professionals, KURA said it continues to offer internship and attachment opportunities, positioning itself as an entry point for young talent into the roads sector.
The DG emphasized this effort, noting that, ‘’The authority also engages interns for a period 1 year and students on attachment for a three 3 months where the internship program is supported by other stakeholders including the public service commission, engineers board of Kenya and the Kenya Roads Board.’’ Kinoti said.
These measures, KURA says, are anchored in its Human Resource Policy and Procedures Manual, which aligns its hiring and staffing practices with constitutional requirements on equity and inclusivity.
The presentation comes at a time when public institutions are facing growing pressure from lawmakers to go beyond policy statements and demonstrate real, measurable progress in diversity and inclusion.
The report is expected to be tabled before the full Senate once the committee completes its scrutiny, with lawmakers indicating that the findings and recommendations will soon be presented to the House.
