Makueni County Secretary 
By Andrew Mbuva
A lobby group known as The People's Assembly has formally petitioned the Office of the Makueni County Secretary to publicly disclose the names of all county staff currently under investigation for allegedly using forged academic credentials to secure employment.
This follows revelations that the County Government has initiated a targeted administrative audit of its workforce, aimed at identifying staff members who may have been hired without meeting the required qualifications.
However, the lobby group, led by Coordinator Justus Mutuku, is raising alarm over what it describes as a secretive and opaque process, which it argues violates the principles of transparency and constitutionalism.
"While we support efforts to strengthen integrity and accountability in public service, we are equally concerned about the secrecy and potential procedural flaws surrounding this ongoing exercise," Mutuku stated in a letter addressed to the County Secretary.
The group is demanding that the County Secretary clearly outlines the steps and procedures being followed in the probe, including timelines, investigative mechanisms, and guarantees of fairness and legality.
Also copied in the petition is the County Public Service Board, which the lobby group wants to clarify reports that replacements for the affected staff are already underway — allegedly without following established recruitment procedures.
“We are making this request in accordance with Article 35 (1)(a) and (b) of the Constitution of Kenya, which guarantees the right to access information held by the State and by another person necessary for the exercise or protection of any right or fundamental freedom, as supported by the Access to Information Act, 2016,” the letter reads.
The People's Assembly has given the County Secretary seven days to respond to the issues raised in the petition.
