Africa-Press – Kenya. President William Ruto has told individuals who secured jobs in using fake certificates to resign and refund monies earned as salaries.
The President said state employees with fake papers are earning money through false pretence and must resign and pay back the money.
Speaking during the Third National Wage Bill Conference 2024 at the Bomas of Kenya, Nairobi Ruto said he is ready to face all consequences to deal with corruption.
“We must deal firmly, decisively with corruption, there is a lot of wastage, their wastage and outright theft in the public space and with a lot of impunity, we can put more resources into development,” he said.
The President said the government has already stabilised what it needed in terms of corruption.
He promised that going forward, the government will deal with corruption head-on in counties and national government.
“Just imagine a simple audit of people working for the government has revealed that we have 2,100 people so far with fake certificates working for the government,” Ruto said.
“Those who have earned money using fake certificates should refund the public money, isn’t it equivalent to obtaining it by false pretence or something? he posed.
“And those who are in government offices should leave, they should resign and go away and look for money to pay us back.”
The President said he does not mind being called names as long as it is getting the country in a better place.
While echoeing the President’s remarks, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua alleged that he has a list of senior officials within government holding fake degrees.
The list, Gachagua said, was handed to him by some individuals from Nairobi’s River Road who claimed they helped the officials obtain the certificates.
River Road has over the years been linked to the processing of counterfeit academic certificates and other documents.
Gachagua said the operatives who handed him the list had also approached him with a promise to help him secure a degree certificate.
Gachagua, however, said he dismissed the idea saying he was contended with the single certificate he currently holds and does not require a fake one.
“I’m not concerned about the issue of papers because I don’t want to go the River Road route…mimi natosheka na ile kidogo niko nayo,” the DP said.
“I have been complaining that I’m lonely at the top because my boss has three degrees, Comptroller of State House has three yet I have one so these River Road people have been looking for me.”
For More News And Analysis About Kenya Follow Africa-Press
