Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua today stirred controversy during a meeting at Bomas when he claimed to possess a list of high-ranking government officials holding fraudulent academic degrees.
According to Gachagua, the list was provided by individuals from River Road in Nairobi, an area notorious for the production of counterfeit academic documents. These individuals allegedly assisted the officials in acquiring the certificates and even offered to help Gachagua obtain a fake degree, an offer he declined, stating his contentment with his legitimate qualifications. In his address, Gachagua revealed a sense of isolation at the highest level of leadership as both the President and the Comptroller of the State House hold multiple degrees while he possesses only one.
He recounted that during the run-up to the general election, his supporters had expressed willingness to assist him in pursuing a Master’s degree as he felt somewhat disadvantaged compared to his rival, the current Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure, who possessed more qualifications. Reflecting on a previous deputy presidential debate, Gachagua recalled candidly admitting to not having a Master’s degree and urging the interviewers to accept him as he was.
Despite this, he remained unfazed, opting for self-assurance over the pursuit of additional credentials. Gachagua seized the opportunity to rally support for the recently introduced Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) program, emphasizing its potential to alleviate the struggle for degree certificates for individuals with valuable skills and experience. With the mechanism in place, Gachagua asserted that there is no need to travel to River Road, Uganda, or Ghana to obtain fraudulent degrees.
“The best part is, there is no longer a need to chase after these fancy certificates anymore,” he declared, highlighting the program’s recognition and valuation of knowledge acquired through practical experience.
The issue of counterfeit academic certificates in Kenya, once thought to be nearing control, has seen a concerning resurgence. Recent revelations indicate the problem may be far more widespread than previously believed. This development poses a significant threat to the credibility of academic qualifications in the country. The gravity of the situation has prompted a renewed crackdown by government agencies and state-owned companies.
These entities are now actively verifying the academic credentials of their employees, with a particular focus on those hired since 2012. This stricter vetting process aims to identify and remove individuals who obtained positions through fraudulent means. The consequences for those caught with fake certificates are severe. Public service employees found to have used forged documents during recruitment or promotion face not only immediate termination but also potential imprisonment.
Additionally, they may be required to repay all salaries and allowances received since their illegitimate appointment. In some cases, these repayments could amount to millions of shillings, significantly impacting the perpetrator’s finances.
Gachagua if your degree is…
Gachagua if your degree is genuine then go ahead and challenge the fake ones of members inside your cabinet?
I’m not and will never be shocked to discover yours, Ruto and others were fake. As the same thing we know the current president of Nigerian also has a fake degree where he dropout of a college and made up a fake one to get where he’s now.
Gachagua’s degree is fake…
Gachagua’s degree is fake too. He collected one at Mukurueni Wa Nyagathaga back in the days! Does a shabby looking dude like Riggie have the intelligence to earn a degree in any higher institution of learning in Kenya, let alone the rest of Africa??
Richie G is a very childish…
Richie G is a very childish fella! He is full of meat loaf and sausage in his ugly big potato head.