Kathwana: The government has rolled out a nationwide mapping exercise to establish a comprehensive database of minority and marginalised communities in a move aimed at promoting inclusive governance, equitable service delivery, and targeted affirmative action interventions across the country.
According to Kenya News Agency, the exercise, spearheaded by the Executive Office of the President through the Minorities and Marginalized Affairs Unit, seeks to generate credible data that will guide policy formulation, development planning, and resource allocation while ensuring historically disadvantaged communities are fully integrated into national development programmes.
Speaking during a consultative stakeholders’ forum held at the County Commissioner’s Boardroom in Kathwana, Tharaka Nithi County Commissioner David Gitonga called on residents to cooperate with government officials by providing accurate and truthful information throughout the exercise. Gitonga noted that the mapping exercise would enable the government to identify minority, marginalised, and vulnerable communities, ensuring they benefit from government programmes, public services, and development initiatives tailored to their needs.
The Director of Policy Advisory Services in the Office of the President, Eunice Chelimo, stated that Tharaka Nithi is among the counties participating in the nationwide exercise, which is expected to culminate in the establishment of a credible national database of minority and marginalised communities. The database, she explained, would serve as an important planning tool to support inclusive governance, equitable service delivery, meaningful public participation, targeted affirmative action initiatives, and sustainable socio-economic development.
Chelimo cautioned communities against fragmenting themselves into smaller clan-based groups, highlighting that such divisions weaken their collective voice and diminish their ability to advocate for equitable development and government support. She urged minority and marginalised communities to participate actively in the exercise by providing accurate information and remaining united throughout the process.
In Tharaka Nithi County, the Tharaka and Mbeere communities have been identified among the minority and marginalised groups targeted under the national mapping exercise. The information gathered is expected to inform future government policies and interventions designed to bridge development gaps and promote social inclusion.
Igambang’ombe MCA Njeru Ingara welcomed the initiative, expressing optimism that the exercise would help address long-standing development disparities affecting marginalised communities. He remarked that the data generated would provide the government with a clearer understanding of the needs of underserved populations, leading to a more equitable distribution of resources and improved access to development opportunities.
Tharaka Nithi Chief Officer for Gender, Children and Social Services, Winnie Mukiri, emphasised the importance of sustainable interventions and inclusive policies in improving the socio-economic well-being of minority and marginalised communities. She stated that accurate data would strengthen evidence-based planning and enable government institutions to design programmes that effectively respond to the unique challenges facing vulnerable groups.
The nationwide exercise is expected to bolster government efforts to ensure that no community is left behind by providing reliable information that supports equitable development, social inclusion, and improved access to public services for minority and marginalised communities across Kenya.
