The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has secured the conviction of two former employees of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for using forged academic certificates to unlawfully obtain and advance in public employment.
In the first case, the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court on July 2, 2026, convicted former IEBC Constituency Office Clerk Purity Mwaniki Wanja after adopting a plea bargain agreement.
According to the EACC, investigations established that Wanja forged a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate purportedly issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). She allegedly used the forged certificate to secure employment with the electoral commission in July 2012.
Wanja pleaded guilty to three charges: fraudulent acquisition of public property, forgery, and presenting a forged certificate. The court convicted her on her own plea of guilty and ordered her to pay a total penalty of Ksh1.6 million.
The amount comprises Ksh1.5 million in compensation and fines of Ksh50,000 each for the forgery and presenting a forged certificate offences.
In a separate case, the same court on June 29, 2026, convicted Luka Mukimi Musamali, another former IEBC employee, for using a forged university degree certificate to obtain a promotion within the commission.
The EACC said investigations revealed that Musamali presented a falsified Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies (Public Administration) degree certificate, purportedly issued by Moi University, to support his application for promotion from Constituency Office Clerk to Constituency Elections Assistant.
Following a full trial, the court found Musamali guilty of deceiving a principal and uttering a false document but acquitted him on the charge of forgery. He was fined a total of Ksh110,000, with custodial sentences to apply in default of payment.
The anti-graft agency said the convictions reaffirm its commitment to protecting the integrity of recruitment and career progression in the public service.
The Commission also warned that the use of forged academic or professional certificates to secure public employment, promotions or other public benefits remains a criminal offence and pledged to continue pursuing individuals involved in such fraudulent practices.
