Four tribes dominate board chair seats in Kenya – study

If you are under 35 years and don’t poses a first degree you stand no chance of representing a board in the country, new industry findings have show.

A 2024 survey by Kenya Institute of Management and Kenya Private Sector Alliance, shows that board members are predominantly aged 46 and above and 58.1 per cent have at least an undergraduate degree.

The number of board members holding postgraduate qualifications is the highest at 59.4 per cent with Doctor of Philosophy (PhDs).

Possessing these qualifications does not guarantee you the position, as the study shows that board chair appointments are dominated by for ethnic communities.

“Analysis of the ethnic backgrounds of board chairpersons across organisations reveals that 74 per cent of these roles are held by individuals from four major ethnic communities, which together represent 56 per cent of the Kenyan population,” said KIM CEO Muriithi Ndegwa in the report.

The report however does not mention the ethnic communities.

The survey also reveals a concerning decline in the representation of women in boardrooms and top executive roles in Kenya, raising fresh concerns over gender parity in corporate leadership.

The proportion of women holding board positions has dropped from 36 per cent in 2021 to 35 per cent in 2024, marking a slight but significant decline after years of steady progress.

“Our research shows that 67 per cent of CEOs/MDs are male, while 32 per cent are female. This indicates a significant gender imbalance and underscores the need for more targeted initiatives to promote female leadership at the executive level,” added Ndegwa.

The survey reveals a strong board representation of professionals with backgrounds in accounting, finance, audit, business management, entrepreneurship, academia, education and legal.

While Kenya has been recognized as one of Africa’s leaders in promoting gender diversity in corporate governance, this downturn signals a potential setback.

The findings show that the proportion of women serving as board chairpersons stands at a mere 21.3 per cent. Data shows that the percentage of women in board positions rose from 12 per cent in 2012, 21 per cent in 2017 to 36 per cent in 2021.

2024 registered a slight but significant decline to 35 per cent in 2024. The report highlights that 80 per cent of boards still have more male than female members, with 35 per cent dominated by a strong male majority of eight to ten men.

Conversely, only 12 percent of boards have five to six female members, underscoring the persistent imbalance. Despite the increased push for more women and youths’ representation in boards and senior management roles, it is emerging that, the industry is yet to adopt this.

Experts from KEPSA and KIM warn that this downward trend could stall Kenya’s progress in achieving gender equity in leadership and governance.

They emphasize the need for renewed efforts in implementing policies that support female advancement into top corporate roles.

Analysts suggest that several factors may be contributing to this decline in women’s representation, including structural barriers, cultural perceptions, and a lack of strong enforcement of gender inclusion policies.

Despite increased awareness of diversity and inclusion, the pace of change remains slow, and organizations are urged to do more to ensure equitable representation.

The survey also highlights a predominance of Christians (62per cent) in board composition, with limited representation from other religious groups, indicating potential areas for improvement in religious diversity but noting most religions are underrepresented juxtaposed against their total population.

The data indicates that 57per cent of organizations have no PWDs on their boards, while 22per cent have only 1 to 2 PWDs, suggesting that PWD representation at the board level is generally low.

However, 10per cent of organizations have made significant strides in including 3 or more PWDs in their boards, showing a growing commitment to diversity and inclusion.

The findings suggest that more organizations need to focus on increasing the representation of PWDs in leadership roles to foster more inclusive environment.

Additionally,6 per cent of board chairpersons are non-Kenyan, reflecting a degree of international leadership presence. Minority ethnic groups account for only10 per cent of board chair positions.