19 Migori County Employees Quit as Probe Into Fake Certificates Widens
A sweeping integrity audit in Migori County has triggered the resignation of nineteen government employees accused of securing jobs using forged academic qualifications. The employees, who form part of a larger group of 93 officers flagged for possessing fake primary, secondary, or post-secondary certificates, resigned as the county government intensified a clean-up of its workforce. County Secretary Oscar Olima confirmed receiving the resignation letters, noting that the individuals chose to exit before disciplinary or legal action was taken against them.
According to Olima, the ongoing verification stems from an audit conducted by the Human Resource Audit Institute in 2023 and a separate staff headcount ordered by the county administration. The process uncovered irregularities in academic papers held by dozens of county workers. Twenty-five of the implicated employees have since written to the County Public Service Board seeking an opportunity to present their defence. The crackdown has also expanded to include scrutiny of questionable college-level certificates held by some staff. Olima clarified that the exercise is not politically motivated, saying it is guided solely by audit findings and the need for transparency in public service.
The verification involved checking more than 2,700 certificates with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), which confirmed that some of the documents were fraudulent. In response, the county removed all 93 implicated staff from its payroll pending further action, even as hearings for those seeking to clear their names get underway. The purge has sparked debate within Migori, with some residents applauding the county’s firm stance on integrity, while others fear that service delivery may suffer if positions remain vacant for too long.
County officials say the exercise will continue until all personnel records are fully authenticated, with final decisions expected after the ongoing hearings. The outcome is likely to influence future recruitment and vetting standards within Migori and could serve as a benchmark for other counties confronting similar concerns about forged credentials in the public sector.