The Public Service Commission (PSC) has attributed the persistent use of fake academic certificates in the civil service to ageing technology, staffing shortages, and weak governance structures.
Appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities on Tuesday, PSC Chairperson Francis Meja said the Commission’s verification systems are outdated, slow, and costly, creating loopholes exploited by job seekers.
“The Commission is relying on old technology to verify and weed out fake papers. As a result, the process takes too long and is expensive,” he told lawmakers during a session at Bunge Tower.
Meja signalled reforms, revealing that the PSC is collaborating with the Commission for University Education (CUE) and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to implement a modern, integrated system capable of instantly authenticating academic documents.
“We are carrying out reforms with the two institutions that will enable us to detect a fake academic document at the press of a button,” he said.
The reforms respond to concerns raised by Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino over the Commission’s failure to curb the rising use of forged credentials in securing public jobs and promotions.
The session also exposed internal capacity gaps at the PSC. Chief Executive Officer Paul Famba disclosed that the Commission has only 273 employees out of an approved establishment of 518, leaving a staffing shortfall of 245 personnel.
“The approved staff establishment is 518, but we currently have only 273 employees, leaving a gap of 245,” he said.
Lawmakers criticised the irony of a recruitment body itself being understaffed.
Luanda MP Dick Maungu urged the PSC to fill vacant positions, noting, “If PSC, whose core mandate is to hire public servants, is complaining about staff shortages, what about other State agencies?”
Concerns over governance also surfaced, with Committee Chair Adan Yussuf Haji questioning why six officers above the mandatory retirement age of 60 remain on the PSC payroll.
“What justification do you have for keeping retirees in your system while many young people remain unemployed?” he asked.
Kamukunji MP Yussuf Hassan further accused the Commission of failing to guarantee a fair and transparent recruitment process.
“Chairman Meja, I hope you are the new broom that will clean up corruption, nepotism and other bad practices in the Commission,” he said.
On youth employment, Famba said the PSC has recruited 8,200 interns since 2019, supported by a Sh2 billion annual stipend budget, but noted additional funding is needed to expand the program.
Meja emphasized the need for reform and budget support, stating, “The system we are using is 15 years old. We are making major changes that will have a positive impact. I urge the Committee to support an increase in our budget so we can fund our programmes effectively.”
