Government employees who use fake certificates for either employment or promotion will not be tolerated.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, while speaking in Nandi, expressed deep concern over the ballooning number of Kenyans who fraudulently use what he described as ‘River Road’ certificates while seeking employment.
“It pains that fake papers are found in education, the police department, civil servants, and many other government employing bodies,” he said.
He revealed that some Nandi County area chiefs are under investigation for forging both academic and professional certificates to find their way into government payroll.
Koskei warned that chiefs or government employees who will be found culpable will be punished according to the law.
“I think with this trend, we’ll be teaching our young generation the wrong paths to secure government jobs,” he regretted.
The head of public service, however, promised that the government is ensuring qualified people with genuine certificates are doing what they are specialised at.
Further, Koskei assured Kenyans that the taxes which they pay, including those proposed in the Finance Bill 2024, will be used prudently.
“I assure you, no single shilling will be stolen,” Koskei promised.
He said all civil servants, both in National and County Governments, government agencies, and bodies, are under firm instructions that government funds be spent solely as per the law.
“As government, there is no tolerance to corruption; any coin from the taxpayer shall be used only for intended purposes,” he added.
Koskei pleaded with Kenyans to focus on what their taxes will deliver in terms of education, roads, health, agriculture, and many other sectors, as the government is their trusted custodian.
He said the government was focusing on widening its tax base as it struggles to close its budget deficit, which now stands below Sh6 billion.
On the other hand, Koskei thanked Nandi County Commissioner Caroline Nzwili and her National Government Administrative Officers team for considerably reducing the consumption of illicit brew and the management of drug abuse.
“We’ll lose the entire young generation if we don’t work together to arrest this mess,” Koskei insisted while appealing to all stakeholders in Nandi to work together in dealing with illicit brew and drug abuse.
Nandi Deputy Governor Yulita Mitei, who also addressed the same function, beseeched the locals to accept the current government’s efforts to raise more money through taxes as Kenya’s foreign debt ceiling closed.
Mosop Member of Parliament Abraham Kirwa, also present, asked Kenyans to read for themselves the Finance Bill 2024, as it has good intentions for the country as opposed to what is being spread on certain social media platforms.
The leaders were speaking at the African Inland Church in Sigot, Mosop Constituency, during a Thanksgiving ceremony following the nomination of Evelyn Cheluget as Director General, Directorate of Immigration Services.
In attendance were MPs, Josses Kiptoo for Emgwen; Marianne Kitany, Aldai; and Tinderet’s Julius Meli. Prof. Julius Bitok, Principal Secretary, Immigration and Citizen Services, Nandi County Commissioner Caroline Nzwili, AIC clergy and a host of other local leaders were present.
By Geoffrey Satia
