There is a need for the National Government to set aside funds to help the minority and marginalized communities in the country.
The views were raised by various speakers from Ngulya Community during a public participation forum on the Draft National, Policy and Bill on Ethnic Minorities and Marginalized Communities, 2025.
They said that among other issues, the monies would go towards educating their children because they do not have access to bursaries as they do not have a representative in either the national and county assemblies.
“The government should set aside money to help the minority and marginalized communities across the country. Our children are struggling to access education as they hardly get bursaries,” said Esther Musinya during the public participation held at AMREF Hall in Kibwezi subcounty on Monday.
Also, Musinya asked the government to allow them access to their shrines including Ngulya Hills in Tsavo West National Park in the area.
“Article 32 of the 2010 Constitution allows every person the right to freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief and opinion. We should be allowed to access and worship at our shrines,” said Musinya who is the custodian of shrines.
However, the Ngulya Community lauded the government for coming up with this policy of the minority and marginalized saying it would help them enjoy basic rights. They claimed to have experienced discrimination since 1960s.
During presentations, they said they were the original natives from Kiboko to Tsavo River saying they should be given back their land as they are currently living as squatters.
Also, they said they have not accessed county and national job opportunities and urged both levels of government to address the issue urgently.
“There are a few things we would like to be included in this policy. Issues like representation in the county and national assemblies. We do not have enough numbers to have one of us elected to the two Assemblies,” said the Chairperson of the Ngulya Community Nthitu Makwata.
“Therefore, we request this policy, which has been developed, to have an aspect where a person from Ngulya community can be appointed or nominated to county and national assemblies,” he added.
Makwata disclosed that they are in the process of documenting the population of the Ngulya people whom he said were scattered in the area.
“We are so scattered that we do not know the population. We are now doing documentation of the really Ngulya people within Kiboko and Tsavo River,” said Makwata.
Speaking at the forum, the Director Governance Under Minority and Marginalized Affairs Unit in the Office of the President Mr. Abdi Kahiya said the government has initiated the policies to give a favourable social economics on health, education and employment for those minority and marginalized in the country.
Kahiya noted that Article 56 of the 2010 Constitution requires the state to put in place affirmative action programmes designed to ensure minorities and marginalized participate and are represented in governance and other spheres.
By Patrick Nyakundi
