Civil servants who have been using fake certificates to obtain jobs are set to face prosecution as well as demand to refund all the monies they were paid after getting into positions using dubious qualifications. President William Ruto has ordered the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission as well as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations to pursue holders of fake certificates forthwith.

"Those who have earned money using fake certificates should resign and return public money," the President said.

In February, a staff audit by the Public Service Commission (PSC) revealed that over 2000 employees in Kenya’s civil service used fake academic papers to secure jobs and promotions. Some of the institutions that were found flooded with dubious certificate holders were the Kenyatta National Hospital, the Ministry of Interior, the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, as well as the Ministry of Energy.

During the Third National Wage Bill Conference 2024 held at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi, Dr Ruto noted that his administration seeks to build a public sector that is characterized by high efficiency, integrity, accountability, and productivity.

"These virtues are also essential to actualize our intentions to make Kenya Africa's productivity champion and the host of the African Productivity Centre," he added.

According to the President, the national government plans to cut the wage bill to 35 percent of revenue by 2027, even as it also seeks to create alternative pathways to employment to ease the pressure on the (PSC) which, he said, cannot hire all job seekers.

Read also: Exposed: Fake certificate holders flooding KNH and Interior

Ruto: public service is not a place for employment

"Public service is not a place for employment, we must be deliberate about creating alternative pathways to employment. We have millions of young people out of school. We owe it to them as a nation to create opportunities for them."

The President said the government is implementing several measures to achieve a 35 per cent wage bill ratio to revenue, noting that there has been significant progress in managing the public wage bill, from 51 percent to 46 percent currently.

Further, Dr Ruto directed all State agencies with non-compliant reports from the Auditor-General and the PSC to submit corrective action within the next 21 days. He said the trend is unacceptable and amounts to impunity that can no longer be tolerated.

“We cannot deliver for Kenyans when we are burdened with impunity and wounded by non-compliance,” he said.

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