The Public Service Commission (PSC) has ordered all government institutions to carry out an audit of academic and professional certificates of employees hired in the last 10 years.
PSC Chairperson Anthony Muchiri, through a circular dated October 19th, 2022, said the directive affects all ministries, departments, and corporations. They are required to submit their respective reports by January 31st and sack those who will be found in possession of forged papers.
“The Commission notes that the circular under reference has received little or no traction by all the institutions and stakeholders concerned. This has necessitated a general public perception of the integrity of academic and professional certificates of a number of persons holding public offices,” said Muchiri.
The letter was copied to all heads of human resource management in the ministries, departments, and State corporations.
The commission further urged government institutions to continuously scrutinize academic and professional certificates prior to appointments and promotions.
A preliminary assessment by the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) determined that three in every 10 civil servants may have used forged certificates to gain employment in public service. This translates to about 250,000 out of the 865,000 civil servants.
“Our estimate is that 30 percent of the certificates are fake. It is very unfair that I sit in a university for four years, and someone else just gets a similar certificate in five minutes. You even find some cases where one has a degree purported to have been acquired long before he supposedly cleared his secondary education,” KNQA director-general Dr. Juma Mukhwana said last year.
“You have cases where someone claims to have a university degree from outside Kenya, yet they have never owned a passport. So, how did you get your certificate from that university abroad, then? Those kinds of things where no online learning was involved. Or sometimes you have a passport, but no study visa. Same thing. How then were you there for four years with no visa?”
It is preposterous to own a…
It is preposterous to own a degree from a foreign country, and yet you have never stepped out of Kenya,and there is no evidence of online classes.
At least we are addressing this issue now, instead of ten years later.Its over due anyway.But how did we let it reach to this stage?
This is emblematic of the rot in all sectors of our society.Married men and women cheat as though there are no morals anymore. In sports this year alone 30 Kenyan athletes have been flagged down for doping. Age cheating is another critical issue that goes on as a normal way of doing things.
Iam not naive to think that these issues will go away or are exclusive to Kenya,but they have reached to a crisis level. We should bring it back to normal “acceptable” level.And that means each and every one of us has a responsibility toward that end.Dont bribe,and dont accept bribe.Dont corrupt and dont accept to be corrupted.
Those with forged documents…
Those with forged documents are criminals and should not only be fired but also prosecuted, put in jail and ordered to pay back restitution!
In ten years, the House of Kenya will be squeaky clean of corruption and impunity!
Kinoti has many criminal acts to answer for ….!!!
It will be as dirty as ever…
It will be as dirty as ever. Stealing, bribery and general corruption are baked into Kenyan society. The small fish will be fried but the big fish will continue to chomp on the small fish. Witness all the corruption cases that are being withdrawn for those in the Ruto government. There have always been two justice systems but now it’s in the open
This is a futile exercise…
This is a futile exercise. Start with Sakaja and Sudi. They are well known to be holders of fake degrees. What have you done to them all these years?
Some Cabinets, Senators, Mps…
Some Cabinets, Senators, Mps, Women Reps, MCAs, and other Big fishes Will have to Resign if Found to Have forged tbeir Certificates.
They should start with Aisha…
They should start with Aisha Jumwa and Mithika linturi.
Start at the top! Cabinet…
Start at the top! Cabinet and parliament downwards. If regular Omange is going down for fake degrees, then it’s only fair the senior government officials be audited too!
Unfortunately with the UDA…
Unfortunately with the UDA bottom_up approach, we will start with the common Omange at the bottom before we get to the big fish. That’s how Kenya works right?
No wonder public service has…
No wonder public service has become a joke in the said period of time. Government services cannot be provide without money changing hands because most of those hired to do the job freely and fairly to the wananchi, landed on those jobs through same corrupt route…bribing with many zeros after integers 1-9. What a country?
I have a feeling that we are…
I have a feeling that we are on the verge of slaying the two monsters of corruption and impunity if we keep the course and avoid distraction from the merchants of corruption and impunity! Focus