Why does the government still feel a need for affirmative action?

I got my first government job a little while ago and cannot help but notice how ethnically/gender even the staffing is. This is not what I have a problem with, I feel that jobs should go to the most qualified. Thats it, nothing else should be in the equation for hiring. My problem is that many of the people who probably got on based on ethnicity are not as qualified as a lot of other people I know got turned down for jobs. Some people are struggling to find jobs (with great qualifications) while less qualified minorities get great govt jobs. I only got on because I have an engineering degree with a 3.7 gpa.