CJ-emeritus Maraga roots for establishment of Commission of inquiry to probe fraudulent certificates
Source: Capital FM Kenya
Author: Bruhan Makong
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 26 - Former Chief Justice David Maraga has proposed the formation of a commission of inquiry to investigate what he described as a worrying trend in the forgery of academic certificates in the country.
Maraga said Thursday that the vice, which he partly blamed on corrupt practices, poses a significant threat to Kenya's education system and future prospects.
He stressed the urgent need for government intervention to look into the root causes of this issue devise effective solutions.
"Kenya is currently witnessing rampant cases of forgery of academic certificates. In some cases, there are universities that are accused of fraudulently selling transcripts and degree certificates to individuals who never set foot in any classroom," Maraga said.
He was speaking when he presided over the media workshop for journalists organised by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNDOC), that the vice poses a threat to the country's education system.
"Given the danger that these malpractices pose to Kenya's education system, there is a need for the government to establish a mechanism including even a commission of inquiry to inquire into the root cause of this menace and how it should be effectively addressed."
The former CJ said that Kenya should be leading in education in the continent and the certificates issued by the country's institutions of higher learning should "never be questioned at all."
He pointed out that Kenya should borrow a leaf from countries such as United Kingdom who adhere to higher education standards and merit-based opportunities.
Expressing his dismay over the prevalence of such malpractices, Maraga labeled the situation as "embarrassing" for the nation.
The issue of fake certificates has in recent months been brought into focus with the government vowing stringent actions against the perpetrators.
This is after the Public Service Commission (PSC) submitted a report highlighting 1,280 cases of forged certificates from 91 public institutions and 787 from various ministries, state departments, and agencies.
On April 17, President William Ruto said 2,100 civil servants with fraudulent certificates should refund public funds and quit or face prosecution.
Speaking during the Third National Wage Bill Conference, Ruto called on investigative agencies including the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to crack down on the vice.
"The 2,100 identified people who have been earning government wages and salaries with fake certificates, they should just refund the money we pay them as salary and wages so that we stop the the games otherwise the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) must move with full speed to recover public resources that were spent on this bill," President Ruto said.
He also urged those with counterfeit credentials in government positions to resign voluntarily.
"It will not be business as usual as we go into the future. it is impunity of the highest level for any person to walk into a government of this knowing very well that they have a fake certificate and actually get a job," he added
Echoing the sentiments of President Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua called for decisive action to remove those with fake certificates.
"This issue of fake certificates I think it's a quick win for us, if we make a decision to get rid of all the fellows and characters with fake certificates probably we could knock out 10,000 people from the wage bill and probably recover a billion or two," DP Gachagua said
He encouraged President Ruto to maintain his firm stance, highlighting the positive impact of such decisions on the nation's progress.
"In this matter of fake certificates your excellency I want to encourage you make hard decisions that will be beneficial to this country and that will form part of your legacy," he added