Exposed: Fake certificate holders flooding KNH and Interior
The Kenyatta National Hospital, as well as the Ministry of Interior, is riddled with civil servants holding fake academic papers, as a new report by the Public Service Commission shows.
Also, on the dirty list of institutions harboring civil servants with dubious academic papers is the Eldoret-based Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, as well as the Ministry of Energy.
Overall, the staff audit by the PSC revealed that over 2000 employees in the country’s civil service used fake academic papers to secure jobs and promotions.
To clean up the mess, PSC Chairman Amb. Anthony Muchiri has called on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate and take legal action against government officials with fake degrees.
“I hand over our report to the EACC and DCI for the next phase of legal processes. Going forward, the commission will work closely with institutions of learning, the Commission of University Education, and relevant examination professional bodies, to encourage them to digitize their respective databases for efficient interactions,” he said.
The PSC chairman also observed that some of the offenders “doctored” their bachelor’s certificates and changed their ranking to indicate that they procured first-class honors.
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Disciplinary action to be taken
According to Amb. Muchiri, these employees have been able to evade legal action against them through resignation or applying for early retirement before any disciplinary action can be taken.
“An officer who has secured an appointment or promotion based on fake academic qualification has no integrity and must, therefore, not be entrusted with any public office or resources. Falsification of academic certification has far-reaching implications on service delivery by public institutions,” he added.
The law empowers EACC to recover salaries and benefits earned through deception with fake academic qualifications. Offenders face not only financial consequences but also criminal prosecution.
EACC Chairperson Dr. David Oginde and the Director of Criminal Investigations Mr. Mohamed Amin applauded PSC for taking a bold step in cleaning up the fake papers mess in the public service.
“The effects of hiring unqualified employees decrease productivity and performance, lower the quality of work, and have a negative impact on team morale,” said Amin.
“EACC will work closely with DCI and PSC to ensure we get rid of all fake certificates in the public service, which have dented the image and effectiveness of our public service,” said Dr. Oginde.
