Investigations by the anti-corruption watchdog have unearthed rampant cases of bribery, embezzlement of funds, conflict of interest and faking of academic papers in State agencies and counties.
In its latest quarterly reports, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has fingered the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), the National Police Service, Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), and Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA).
Currently, EACC is investigating three separate cases implicating senior officials at KeRRA, with two cases implicating two senior accountants working at the authority’s offices in Turkana and Western regions.
In one case, the commission says it conducted a probe into how a senior accountant working in KeRRA’s western region offices managed to award tenders worth Sh146 million to Antco Investment Limited, where the said accountant is one of the directors.
For the years between 2018 and 2023, the accountant is said to have influenced the awarding of 27 contracts to this company which operates in Busia, Vihiga, Kakamega, Siaya and Trans Nzoia.
Still on KeRRA, the anti-graft watchdog is investigating a senior accountant working at the authority’s offices in Turkana who is linked to four companies — Felia, Trinam, Joekin and Kife — that received 31 tenders to the tune of Sh216.9million between 2019 and 2023.
Investigations by EACC established that out of the Sh216.9 million awarded, some Sh108.5 million was allegedly wired to these companies through irregular procurement processes.
Another officer working at KeRRA’s offices in Kajiado is also currently being investigated for conflict of interest as it was established that she is working for KeRRA and has been awarded five tenders for works.
Use of fake academic papers to gain employment remains a big scourge at the IEBC and the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC), with EACC currently investigating over a dozen of such cases in the two aforementioned entities.
IEBC’s regional ICT officer in Lower Eastern is alleged to have forged a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology to get his job in January 2017.
For the period between January 2017 and November 2024, the said officer had received Sh8.7 million as net salary less statutory deductions.
Investigations into IEBC’s staff revealed that two officers presented forged academic documents to be upgraded from grade eight to grade seven under the designation of Assistant Election officer who must possess an undergraduate degree.
One of the suspects used a forged Bachelor of Arts certificate in Political Science and Public Administration while the other one used a forged certificate to show she had a Bachelor’s degree in Business Information and Management.
Another officer, still an assistant elections officer, at the IEBC submitted a forged Bachelor’s degree certificate, Human Resource Management Option, to gain employment
At NCWSC, a marketing officer submitted a fake Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education paper to land the job.
By the time this was discovered, the suspect had earned a total of Sh8.2million in salaries for the period between November 2013 and March 2024.
This file before the Director of Public Prosecutions with the Commission awaiting the response to determine whether the matter shall proceed to court.
Another employee was found to have submitted a fake KCSE certificate to secure employment as a Wastewater Operator at NCWSC.
Investigations by the EACC established that the suspect sat for the KCSE examination in 1977, got a mean grade of D plain but later altered the certificate to show that she got a mean grade of C plain.
This was discovered after the employee had netted Sh9 million between September 2012 and December 2023 in salary. At least seven police officers are being investigated separately over claims of bribery.
One of the officers working at the National Police Service headquarters at Vigilance House in Nairobi is being probed for receiving Sh600,000 in March 2021, to facilitate the recruitment of an unidentified woman to the service.
The Commission also probed Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers at Illasit Police Station in Kajiado County for requesting Sh100,000 in order to release a detained motor vehicle at the police station in January 2024.
A similar case was also captured by the Commission at the Kenya Revenue Authority where officers solicited Sh10,000 bribe from a couple in order to secure the release of a detained motor vehicle.
A police officer attached to the Judiciary Police Unit based at Milimani Law Courts, also being probed for demanding a Sh25,000 to facilitate his travel and subsistence allowance to carry out verification of bond documents in Kakamega.
These are just some of the 50 files that were forwarded to the DPP by the EACC for the period between July and September 30, 2024. Thus far, the Commission recommended that a total of 47 cases be prosecuted, one be taken for further action and that two files be closed.
However, none of the files recommended by EACC for prosecution has a case already lodged in court. The DPP has only accepted to prosecute four of those recommended for prosecution and returned 22 files for further investigation.
