KISII, Kenya, Mar 5 – The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) has summoned 143 officials employed by the Kisii County Government for questioning regarding the alleged use of fake academic credentials to secure employment.
Among those summoned to appear at the EACC South Nyanza office in Kisii are several top officers in various departments who were hired during the tenure of former Governor James Ongwae.
In a letter addressed to the secretary of the Kisii County Government and the Head of the County Public Service Board, the EACC initiated investigations into the purported fake academic certificates of the affected employees.
“request to attend investigative interviews” for the 143 employees under investigation.
Ruth Yator, the EACC Regional Manager, acting on behalf of the EACC Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, called upon the officials to ensure that the named employees avail themselves for questioning and provide statements.
“To facilitate this investigation, kindly inform the following officers to appear before our investigators at our South Nyanza Regional office, Kisii, along Kisii-Kilgoris road on the date and time indicated against their names,” read the summoning letter.
“Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is a statutory body established under Section 3 of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Act, 2011 with the mandate to combat and prevent corruption, economic crimes, and unethical conduct in Kenya through law enforcement, prevention, public education, and promotion of standards and practices of integrity, ethics, and anti-corruption,” the letter read.
The EACC urged the County Secretary to facilitate the appearance of the named employees to honour the summons without fail.
Additionally, a report by the Institute of Human Resource Management (IHRM) disclosed that some employees within the Kisii County Government were found to have used fake certificates during the employment process.