•In August, the Public Service Commission uncovered rampant forgery of academic certificates by government employees
•It emerged that PSC — the employer of civil servants — quietly started investigations on fake academic papers targeting all government workers hired in the last 10 years
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The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is investigating 172 cases of alleged forgery of academic certificates.
EACC Spokesperson Eric Ngumbi on Friday said the cases include senior officials in public service.
Ngumbi while speaking to NTV acknowledged that the problem of fake certificates is rampant in the coutry, noting that the prevalence is higher in the counties.
“Today the problem of fake academic qualifications has become rampant in Kenya, it is prevalent particularly in the county governments and at the moment the commission is investigating 172 cases reports of falsification of academic qualifications,” Ngumbi said.
The cases include senior persons serving in the public service who are alleged to be in possession of degrees, diplomas and KCSE academic certificates which are fake.
“These are the allegations and those 172 reports are under investigations. At the moment we have 13 cases of a criminal nature that are pending before the court involving individuals who include public officials some senior,’ Ngumbi said.
He added: “For example there is sitting Member of Parliament before court so these are matters at different stages of hearing seeking to have these people punished for forgery of academic certificates.”
In August, the Public Service Commission uncovered rampant forgery of academic certificates by government employees after investigations that could see many sent packing.
It emerged that PSC — the employer of civil servants — quietly started investigations on fake academic papers targeting all government workers hired in the last 10 years.
The probe began in October 2022, soon after President William Ruto rose to power.
PSC chairman Anthony Muchiri confirmed that many cases of fraudulent papers have already been discovered.
“There are verified cases of forged academic certificates and submission of fraudulently obtained certificates for the award of appointments, promotions or re-designation in the public service,” Muchiri said.
The new probe shows the bogus academic papers are possessed by senior civil servants, some holding managerial positions in the ministries, departments and agencies.
Muchiri said the culprits must be kicked out of the civil service.