The Kenyan government has taken decisive action against civil servants who used fake academic certificates to gain employment and promotions. A report from the Public Service Commission reveals that 449 workers were fired after being found guilty of this offense. These individuals made up more than half of the total number of employees discovered to have used false credentials.
The report covers the 2023/2024 financial year. It states that action was taken against 73% of the 1,019 officers caught with fake certificates. Some cases are still being looked into, and a small number have not yet been addressed.
In addition to those who were fired, many others chose to resign or retire. A few went through disciplinary proceedings or were referred for prosecution. The disciplinary process and investigations are ongoing for some.
The Public Service Commission noted that most institutions had checked the authenticity of their staff's academic and professional certificates. However, the status of these checks was often not reported. The majority of institutions that had not yet verified their officers' certificates pledged to do so by the middle of 2025.
The Commission has recommended that all public institutions make certificate authentication a standard part of the hiring and promotion process. It had previously instructed institutions to fire any officer found to have used forged certificates and to report their names to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
This evaluation aimed to determine how many institutions had authenticated certificates and what actions they had taken against officers with fake credentials. The government's firm stance sends a clear message that dishonesty and fraud will not be tolerated in the public service.
The report covers the 2023/2024 financial year. It states that action was taken against 73% of the 1,019 officers caught with fake certificates. Some cases are still being looked into, and a small number have not yet been addressed.
In addition to those who were fired, many others chose to resign or retire. A few went through disciplinary proceedings or were referred for prosecution. The disciplinary process and investigations are ongoing for some.
The Public Service Commission noted that most institutions had checked the authenticity of their staff's academic and professional certificates. However, the status of these checks was often not reported. The majority of institutions that had not yet verified their officers' certificates pledged to do so by the middle of 2025.
The Commission has recommended that all public institutions make certificate authentication a standard part of the hiring and promotion process. It had previously instructed institutions to fire any officer found to have used forged certificates and to report their names to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
This evaluation aimed to determine how many institutions had authenticated certificates and what actions they had taken against officers with fake credentials. The government's firm stance sends a clear message that dishonesty and fraud will not be tolerated in the public service.
