Members of Parliament have raised serious concerns over the Tanathi Water Works Development Agency following revelations of glaring diversity and inclusion gaps within the institution.
The National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities, chaired by Mandera West MP Adan Yussuf Haji, warned the agency of possible sanctions after an Auditor-General’s report revealed that Tanathi currently has no employee living with a disability.
The report also indicated that about 67 percent of the agency’s staff come from a single community, contrary to constitutional requirements for fair representation and inclusivity in public institutions.
“The Agency has not fully complied with the requirements of the law on ethnic balance, youth absorption, gender parity, and the allocation of tenders to special interest groups,” said Haji. “This is one of the most serious cases of non-compliance we have come across.”
During a committee session, MPs criticized the explanations offered by the agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Francis Siva, describing them as inadequate and evasive.
Luanda MP Dick Maungu dismissed the CEO’s submission, saying it failed to meet the expected standards of accountability. “Your report does not demonstrate compliance. This is an inadequate submission,” Maungu remarked.
In his defense, Siva said the agency previously employed one staff member living with a disability who has since passed away, adding that no new recruitment has been done to replace them.
He also attributed the gender imbalance to the technical nature of most advertised positions, which he said tend to attract more male applicants than female ones.
However, MPs insisted that public institutions like Tanathi must proactively promote diversity, inclusivity, and equal opportunities, in line with constitutional and ethical employment standards
