Two former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) officials have been convicted by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for using fake academic certificates to illegally secure and advance in public employment.
In the first matter, the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court found former IEBC Constituency Office Clerk Purity Mwaniki Wanja guilty on July 2, 2026 after she entered into a plea bargain agreement.
EACC’s probe indicated that Wanja fabricated a Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate allegedly issued by the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) and used it to get a job at the IEBC in July 2012.
She admitted to the three offences: fraudulent acquisition of public property, forgery, and presenting a forged academic certificate. Her own plea was the basis for the court’s conviction of her and the court’s penalty was KSh1. 6 million, made up of KSh1. 5 million compensation and KSh50, 000 fines for forgery and presenting a forged certificate offences also.
Meanwhile, in another matter, on June 29, 2026 the same court convicted former IEBC employee Luka Mukimi Musamali of using a fake university degree certificate to get himself promoted within the Commission.
Evidence showed that Musamali used a forged Bachelor of Arts in Social Studies (Public Administration) degree certificate allegedly issued by Moi University for his promotion application from Constituency Office Clerk to Constituency Elections Assistant.
After the trial, the court convicted Musamali of deceiving a principal and uttering a false document while it acquitted him of the forgery charge. The court handed down a fine of KSh110 000 with the possibility of imprisonment in case of non, payment.
The Commission said the judgments support its resolve to safeguard the integrity of recruitment and career advancement in public service.
The Commission warned that the use of forged academic or professional certificates to obtain public employment, promotions, or any other public benefit is a criminal offence. It pledged to continue investigating and prosecuting individuals involved in such fraudulent practices to uphold integrity, accountability, and public trust in government institutions.
