A storm erupted in Parliament on Tuesday as lawmakers took turns blasting Tanathi Water Works Development Agency CEO, Francis Siva, accusing him of presiding over one of the most blatant cases of discrimination in a public institution.
The National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities, chaired by Hon. Adan Yussuf Haji (Mandera West), has now threatened to impose sanctions against Siva for allegedly breaching laws on ethnic balance, gender parity, and inclusion of persons living with disabilities (PLWDs) in the agency’s operations and staffing.
Photo: Parliament of Kenya / Courtesy
According to a damning report by the Auditor-General, 67 percent of Tanathi’s workforce hails from a single community, while the agency has no employee living with a disability, a direct violation of constitutional requirements on diversity and equal opportunity.
“This is one of the worst cases of non-compliance we have encountered,” Hon. Haji declared as tensions rose during the committee session at Bunge Tower.
When questioned, Siva defended himself, claiming the agency once had an employee living with a disability who later passed away, and that no new recruitments had been made since.
His explanation, however, angered MPs who dismissed it as both insensitive and unacceptable.
“Your report is irritating and hollow — it doesn’t show even an ounce of compliance,” snapped Hon. Dick Maungu (Luanda MP).
Siva further argued that the agency’s technical job adverts attract more male applicants than female ones — a remark that immediately sparked outrage.
“You’re misleading this Committee by claiming women shy away from technical jobs,” fired back Nyeri County MP Rahab Mukami Wachira. “My daughter is a qualified engineer — jobless — yet you claim there are no female applicants!”
Hon. Haji weighed in, saying the Committee had records of qualified female engineers ready to take up such positions.
“If you need 30 women engineers today, we can provide them. Stop misleading this House,” he warned.
The legislators accused Siva of ignoring the law and running the agency in a manner that undermines national unity and inclusivity.
Vice Chairperson Hon. Duncan Mathenge (Nyeri Town MP) said Parliament had been left with no choice but to act firmly.
“With the evidence before us, we have no option but to consider sanctions against you as the accounting officer,” he stated.
In a dramatic turn, the committee rejected Siva’s submissions, declaring them inadmissible and unworthy of House record. He has now been given two weeks to return with a comprehensive compliance report, failing which the committee will recommend disciplinary action to the National Assembly.
