KNBS Backs Petitions Seeking Recognition of Pare and Chuka Communities as Tribes in Kenya

 

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has formally endorsed two petitions seeking the recognition of the Pare and Chuka communities as distinct ethnic groups in Kenya. The support was voiced during a parliamentary session chaired by Hon. Janet Sitienei (Turbo), where KNBS Director General Dr. Macdonald Obudho presented the bureau’s submissions on the matter.

Dr. Obudho appeared before the committee to address Petition No. 1 of 2025 concerning the recognition of the Pare people, and Petition No. 9 of 2025, seeking the recognition of the Chuka community as a separate ethnic group from the Meru.

In his address, Dr. Obudho underscored the critical role of accurate ethnic classification in a multi-ethnic society like Kenya, noting that such data is key to effective resource allocation, policy development, representation, cultural preservation, and social inclusion.

“Over the years, various communities living in Kenya have sought to be recognized as distinct tribes or sub-tribes,” said Dr. Obudho. “This drive is often motivated by the desire to access statistical data, claim rightful entitlements, and promote community interests.”

The Pare community, largely based in Taveta Constituency, Taita Taveta County, was among 6,272 people identified as stateless during the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census. Other communities previously listed as stateless, including the Shona, Wapemba, and Kenyans of Asian heritage, have since been officially recognized as tribes in Kenya.

The Chuka, meanwhile, are mainly found in Tharaka-Nithi County and are currently classified as one of the nine Meru sub-groups. The other sub-groups include Igoji, Imenti, Tigania, Mitine, Igembe, Mwimbi, Muthambi, and Tharaka. Advocates of the petition argue that the Chuka possess unique cultural, historical, and linguistic characteristics that merit separate recognition.

Committee members raised strong concerns over the continued statelessness and non-recognition of communities decades after independence. “Considering Article 16 of the Constitution outlines the conditions for citizenship, why has the Government neglected communities that have lived on this land long before national borders were drawn?” asked the Committee’s Vice Chairperson.

Hon. John Bwire (Taveta) echoed the sentiments, adding, “Labeling indigenous people as stateless contradicts Article 27 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality and freedom from discrimination for all Kenyans.”

While supporting the petitions, Dr. Obudho clarified that the KNBS’s role is to collect and report demographic data, and that the legal authority to recognize ethnic communities lies with the Ministry of Interior and National Administration. He urged Parliament to work closely with the Ministry to ensure timely recognition of all communities, especially ahead of the next national census in 2029.

“Statistical accuracy is best achieved when data is collected at the most distinct level,” Dr. Obudho said. “Avoiding the generalization of communities will enhance equality and ensure that all Kenyans are counted.”

The petitions now await further deliberation by Parliament, with growing public and political support for the formal recognition of the Pare and Chuka communities as part of Kenya’s official ethnic landscape.