Massive Fraud Exposed: Over 1,200 Fake Certificates Flood Kenya’s State Jobs.

A massive wave of fraud in Kenya’s public service job recruitment has been exposed. From forged academic credentials to ghost workers pulling pay, thousands of state‐job nominees have allegedly cheated the system, with some holding high government positions on blatantly fake papers, official records reveal. This corruption scandal threatens both service delivery and public trust in key institutions.

Magnitude of the Fraud Uncovered

• A recent audit by the Public Service Commission (PSC) discovered over 1,200 fake academic certificates submitted across 91 public institutions during a verification drive, some certificates forging grade results, issuing degrees from unregistered schools, or inventing qualifications altogether.
• In one startling case, a woman held a Teachers Service Commission post for ten years, using her sister’s academic papers and identity to secure employment. Her earnings during that period now are under review for recovery.
• A total of 744 public service employees were flagged in cases involving forged certificates or false academic claims. Disciplinary action is in motion for hundreds, with some dismissals already carried out.

Tactics Used to Cheat the State

• Altering KCSE grades to meet job entry requirements.
• Presenting certificates from institutions where the person was never enrolled. Some “degrees” from major universities have been exposed as fraudulent.
• Forgery of Identity cards, use of relatives’ credentials, and impersonation.
• Ghost workers remain on payrolls of several state and semi‐autonomous agencies. Employees with fake credentials earn salaries for years.

Institutional and Legal Fallout

• The Public Service Commission and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have opened investigations into multiple cases, some already in court.
• Authorities are moving to recover millions of shillings paid out under false pretenses.
• Despite clear evidence, in many instances courts have acquitted suspects on technicalities or lack of enforcement, frustrating oversight bodies