Nairobi – Kenya’s anti-corruption watchdog has arrested five current and former public officials accused of forging academic certificates to land government jobs part of a widening crackdown that now includes efforts to claw back millions in salaries and benefits.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) confirmed on Tuesday that the suspects, drawn from high-profile agencies, allegedly used fake qualifications to secure employment or promotions. Several have been earning public salaries for years.
“This is public money that must be returned,” said EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamud in a statement. “We are not only pursuing criminal prosecution, but also full recovery of what was fraudulently earned.”
Public Trust, Private Fraud
The arrests were made in various parts of the country following investigations triggered by whistleblowers and internal audits. The accused worked at institutions including the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA), Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), and the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council (NSDCC).
Among those arrested is Priscah Osotsi, an Assistant Election Officer at the IEBC. She is accused of presenting a forged Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management certificate, allegedly from Masinde Muliro University.
Vincent Tom Kemoli, an assistant at the NSDCC, reportedly used a fake Social Work degree from the University of Nairobi. Margaret Wanja Muthui, a former Deputy Director at KeRRA, is said to have relied on at least two forged degrees from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and Kenya Methodist University.
Two others Elijah Muthoga Kirethi and Kelly Gichuri Muiruri are accused of using fake Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) documents to gain employment at KMTC and NCWSC respectively.
Legal and Financial Consequences
The EACC has submitted the suspects’ case files to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which has approved charges including forgery, presenting false documents, and unlawful acquisition of public funds.
If found guilty, they face jail time, fines and the loss of any salaries they’ve received while in office.
Beyond court proceedings, the EACC is preparing to launch civil suits aimed at recovering the public funds spent on their salaries and benefits. Officials did not immediately disclose the total amount, but estimates suggest it could run into tens of millions of shillings.
Systemic Flaws
The scandal has once again turned the spotlight on lax vetting processes in government offices. “This should serve as a wake-up call,” said Mohamud. “Institutions must conduct proper verification of academic credentials during recruitment and promotions.”
Transparency activists welcomed the move but said the issue goes deeper. “This is a symptom of a wider culture of impunity and poor enforcement,” said Imelda Otieno, a Nairobi-based governance expert. “It’s encouraging to see arrests, but we need systemic reform.”
The EACC has warned that more arrests could follow, as investigations into credential fraud continue.
For now, the Commission is urging all public institutions to re-check their staff records before the fraudsters slip through the cracks again.
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