The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has directed public entities to stop payment of terminal dues to state officers resigning or proceeding on early retirement.
EACC addressed public institutions in both national and county governments.
The Commission said that the move is in a bid to stop public officers from evading the ongoing investigations into cases of forgery of academic certificates.
“The Commission notes with concern that in some cases, this is happening through collusion between the academic cheats and their Accounting Officers,” the Commission said.
The Circular issued under the hand of CEO Twalib Mbarak on March 11, 2024, addressed all Accounting Officers in both national and county governments.
EACC asked the Accounting Officers to recover in full all salaries and benefits earned by any public officer found to have been employed based on fake or forged academic certificates.
“The Commission will hold personally liable any Accounting Officer whose actions or omissions lead to loss of public funds through fraudulent or unmerited payments to persons holding fake academic certificates,” the EACC read.
The Commission has intensified the crackdown on employees in possession of falsified academic documents.
An audit found that more than 2,000 staffers in the public service have forged papers.
PSC chairperson Anthony Muchiri said the individuals used the alleged fake academic papers to secure jobs, promotions and re-designations.
Kenya National Qualifications Authority recently said in a statement that about 30 per cent of academic certificates held by Kenyans are falsified after a validation process.
KNQA acting director general Alice Kande said there has been a noticeable rise in the prevalence of alleged counterfeit academic and professional certificates.
“The escalating numbers of graduates holding credentials yet facing unemployment have contributed to the proliferation of fraudulent activities in this regard,” Kande said.
Recently, EACC summoned 143 individuals whom it suspects secured employment by presenting suspicious and questionable academic qualifications in Kisii.
A letter addressed to Kisii county secretary and head of the public service by EACC regional manager Ruth Yator requires the staff to appear before the investigators to record statements.
“To facilitate this investigation, please inform the officers to appear before our investigators at our South Nyanza regional office, Kisii…on the date and time indicated against their names,” read the notice in part.
