In a bold move to tackle corruption, the Kenyan government has terminated the employment of 449 civil servants who used forged academic certificates to secure their positions or promotions.
This decision comes after the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) Annual Compliance Report for the 2023/2024 Financial Year revealed that these individuals made up 52.3% of all employees identified with fraudulent credentials.
The report showed that action has been taken against 744 individuals, accounting for 73% of the total cases. Breakdown of the actions taken includes:
- Resignations and Retirements: 181 individuals (21.1%) resigned voluntarily, and 26 (3%) retired.
- Disciplinary Actions: 10 officers (1.2%) faced disciplinary actions, with eight (0.9%) referred for prosecution.
- Ongoing Investigations: 79 cases (9.2%) are still under investigation, while 70 individuals (8.1%) are undergoing disciplinary procedures.
The PSC noted that 70.5% of institutions have conducted verification exercises to authenticate the academic and professional qualifications of their staff. However, many institutions failed to provide updates on the status of their verification efforts.
To prevent future cases of forgery, the PSC recommended that all public institutions institutionalize certificate verification for new hires and promotions.
Commenting on the development, Jim Webo expressed satisfaction with the dismissals but questioned the accountability of those who facilitated the employment of unqualified individuals.
