The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has uncovered widespread corruption within various government agencies and county administrations. The misconduct includes the use of fake academic certificates, fraudulent tender awards, bribery, and abuse of office.
Between January and March this year, the EACC submitted 44 case files to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), but only four have been approved for prosecution so far. The majority remain unresolved, revealing significant delays in the justice system’s response to corruption allegations.
The commission’s report highlights alarming procurement irregularities and corrupt activities at both national and county government levels.
One of the prominent pending cases involves a former official from the Ministry of Sports and a foreign company accused of awarding a Sh9.5 billion stadium construction contract through direct procurement without notifying the relevant procurement authority.
County governments are also implicated in corruption scandals. In Baringo County, officials reportedly manipulated tender evaluations to award a Sh34.9 million contract for a monitoring system to an unqualified bidder. Similarly, in Nyandarua County, a Sh13.5 million branding tender was allegedly fraudulently granted to a firm connected to a senior county official’s relative.
At the national level, the Kenya Wildlife Service is under scrutiny for irregularities in a tender related to its revenue collection system.
The education and health sectors have not escaped corruption either. Several cases have emerged where forged academic qualifications were used to secure government jobs. At Kenya Medical Training College, one employee is accused of using a counterfeit nursing diploma to unlawfully obtain Sh3.7 million, while another submitted a forged certificate in food production to pursue a promotion.
The Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company has been identified as a hotspot for fraudulent hiring practices, with over a dozen employees accused of presenting forged Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) documents to gain employment. One individual reportedly earned Sh15 million over ten years under false pretenses.
The EACC has recommended charges including abuse of office, forgery, and fraudulent practices in numerous cases. However, the Director of Public Prosecutions, Renson Igonga, has yet to take decisive action on most files. Eight cases were sent back for further investigation, two were advised for closure, and 28 remain pending, underscoring persistent delays in addressing high-profile corruption cases.
Bribery remains prevalent. For instance, a police officer at Capitol Hill Station allegedly demanded Sh4,000 to release an impounded motorcycle, while a court clerk at Makadara Law Courts is accused of accepting Sh50,000 to expedite case proceedings.
The report also points to the misuse of direct procurement methods as a common tactic to circumvent competitive bidding. Notably, the Ministry of Sports awarded a major stadium contract irregularly, and procurement issues were also identified in a Sh716 million tender for the maintenance of Nairobi’s Southern Bypass.
The EACC warns that without prompt and firm action, Kenya’s anti-corruption efforts will continue to weaken, further eroding public confidence in government institutions.
