No place for public servants with fake academic papers, says CS Ruku

Public servants found to have used forged academic certificates to secure jobs or promotions will continue to be dismissed once detected, Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku has said.

Ruku said the government, working with relevant agencies, had already dismissed public servants found to have used fraudulent academic credentials to gain employment or advance their careers in the public service.

Speaking during an interview with a local radio and TV station, the CS warned that the government would not relent in ensuring that only qualified and competent personnel serve in the public service.

He commended the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and the Commission for University Education (CUE) for working with his ministry and other government agencies to detect fraudulent academic qualifications.

“Government action is prompt, and we will not spare anyone dishonest about their academic qualifications. Such dishonesty undermines productivity and denies qualified Kenyans opportunities to serve. You may have occupied a position for years, but once you are found to have used fraudulent credentials, you will face the consequences,” Ruku warned.

The CS also said the government had made significant progress in eliminating ghost workers on the public payroll.

He acknowledged, however, that challenges persist in some county governments where undeclared employees are being paid manually outside the Integrated Human Resource Information System (IHRIS).

He said the ministry is working to address the problem through sector-wide engagements involving the Council of Governors, the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) and other stakeholders.

The engagements, he said, would seek to harmonise the public-sector workforce and ensure that all public servants were captured in the official human resource and payroll systems.

Ruku further stressed the need for county governments to adhere to human resource instruments issued by the PSC, while clarifying the respective roles of the institutions involved in public service management.

He said the PSC, as an independent constitutional commission, is responsible for recruitment into the public service, as the ministry, working through relevant professional institutions, supports the development and maintenance of quality human resource management practices.

On the use of public resources, Ruku said the ministry is committed to ensuring prudent expenditure and value for money, noting that taxpayers effectively prepay for government services through the taxes they contribute.

The CS expressed confidence in the performance of public servants despite staffing gaps in some areas, saying the government is addressing the challenge through continuous training and human capital development.

He said the government has allocated resources for continuous public servants’ training to equip them with skills in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

“We have a budget allocation to ensure that our staff are continuously trained to keep pace with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. This is critical in improving the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery to citizens,” he said.

Ruku noted that the government has also digitised many public services, while Huduma Centres provide an alternative for citizens who experience difficulties accessing services through digital platforms.

He urged public servants to remain focused on serving citizens in line with the values and principles of public service and national governance.

On improving productivity, the CS disclosed that the ministry is developing a productivity module that would help link remuneration and performance to the effort and output of public servants.

He noted that the current performance contracting system, in some instances, has degenerated into a “box-ticking exercise” and said the government is working with State organs to make performance management more meaningful and focused on measurable results.

“Performance contracting has, in some cases, become a box-ticking exercise. We are working with State organs to change this approach and ensure that public servants deliver measurable results and provide value to taxpayers,” Ruku said.

On payroll and allowances fraud, Ruku said the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is handling the matter and expressed confidence that it would bring several culprits to justice by the end of October.