The Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has launched investigation into a bribery syndicate targeting desperate job seekers in Bomet County, even as a fresh row erupts over political interference in the commission's recruitment process.
Acting TSC chief executive officer Evaleen Mitei on Tuesday confirmed to the Daily Nation that it is probing the fake jobs scandal where it is reported 20 teachers in Konoin constituency paid between Sh300,000 and Sh500,000 for the jobs.
Teachers Service Commission Acting CEO Evaleen Mitei.
Photo credit: File | Nation
“We have begun investigations into the fake job scandal. TSC jobs are offered free of charge,” Ms Mitei said in a statement.
On Monday, Bomet residents led Konoin MP Brighton Yegon stormed the TSC offices located at Mogogosiek, accusing officials of demanding money from locals seeking teaching jobs.
Mr Yegon claimed more than 20 trained teachers had paid between Sh300,000 and 500,000 to TSC officers and their agents so as to secure the letters, which were not forthcoming or were later found to have been fake.
“I have received numerous complaints from members of the public over the circulation of appointment letters from TSC which are being sold to the residents, some of whom have been shortchanged by brokers and agents working for what is claimed to be TSC and senior officials in government have received money from the prospective candidates for the positions, some of whom have paid cash and through MPESA transactions,” the Konoin MP said.
He added that that cumulatively, the residents have paid around Sh20 million to the agents and most of them have documents to prove their claims.
Beatrice* (not her real name) claimed that she paid Sh400,000 to a TSC officer who however failed to issue her with a legit employment letter as promised.
Signed appointment letters
“My parents took a loan from a Sacco, paid a TSC officer the money and issued me with a letter which appeared to be legitimate and handed it in at the sub county offices, there has not been any feedback for two months now,” Beatrice said.
She claimed to have repeatedly been told by the TSC officers that the dully signed appointment letters from the Commission’s headquarters would be delivered soon, but that had not happened.
Andrew *(not his real name) claimed to have paid Sh300,000 to an agent said to be working for the TSC officers for a letter which he later signed at the sub county offices where he was told that it would be processed and sent to the headquarters.
“On several occasions, I have gotten in touch with the agent whom I paid both in cash and through M-Pesa, but together with the senior TSC official, they have kept telling me that the letter had not been processed at the Commission headquarters,” he stated.
The storming of TSC offices and claims by Bomet residents has opened a Pandora’s box at the Commission concerning the manner in which employment letters for permanent and pensionable terms have been dished out over the years.
It comes on the back of politicians increasingly claiming to have slots to dish out to their constituents, with questions abound concerning the constitutional independence of the TSC.
Teachers Service Commission (TSC) headquarters in Upper Hill, Nairobi.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
The TSC is established as an independent commission under Article 237 of the Constitution, mandated to register, recruit, and manage teachers.
It is also mandates TSC to review the standards of education, and training of persons entering the teaching service, review the demand for and supply of teachers and advise the national government on matters relating to the teaching profession.
TSC is, therefore, expected to act independent of political interference and give equal opportunities to teachers in the country.
The investigation in Bomet mirrors a growing frustration at the Coast. Kisauni MP Rashid Bedzimba recently lamented that despite his constituency being allocated 40 slots for Junior School teachers, only three local teachers were successfully recruited.
This has raised questions about the constitutional independence of the TSC, Education Cabinet Secretary Mr Julius Ogamba pledged to personally escort the MP to the commission’s headquarters to demand a reallocation of the slots.
Former Teachers Service Commission CEO Nancy Macharia.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Before her exit, former chief executive Ms Nancy Macharia repeatedly insisted that the commission had not ceded its powers to politicians, despite facing similar pressure during her tenure.
Over the recent months, the TSC has warned teachers to be wary of individuals promising fake jobs. And with the commission set to hire thousands of teachers for the 2026 senior school transition, the demand for jobs is at an all-time high, creating a fertile ground for fraudsters.
