Panic at KPA as staff with fake certificates named

Panic has gripped top, middle and low level employees at the Kenya Ports Authority after the management stepped up investigations into the academic qualifications of hundreds of workers. It is alleged that many workers are suspected to be holding fake certificates, which they used to acquire employment and gain promotion. The Standard has established that KPA has prepared a report on 136 workers, but is yet to call in the police. The purge began following the vetting process of the port’s estimated 2,600 workers. Reports indicate that the original list of employees from all the departments, including managers was over 400 but it was whittled down after internal investigations that began when the authority wrote to the affected workers asking them to verify the authenticity of their certificates. Yesterday, KPA top managers were holed up in meetings, apparently discussing the apparent scandal and remained cagey about the full extent of the rot. At the root of rot is political interference in the port management where successive managers were forced to hire people under pressure even when they had no academic or professional qualifications. Many of the low cadre workers netted in the dragnet were employed in 2011, according to port sources which have also indicated that at least two managers in the finance and harbour departments are victims. See Also: Government not interfering with the fight against corruption, says Ruto Internal investigation Although the police are believed to be preparing to start investigation into the scandal, the Dock Workers Union, which represents at least 136 workers wants them to be demoted but pardoned. County Police Commander Robert Kitur told The Standard that they expect KPA to hand over a report of its findings to CID officers for further investigation. “I think they will hand over the files to us, because it is police who have to verify documents, which have been forged,” said Mr Kitur who disclosed that KPA had not, formally, handed its internal report to the police.