Karen Nyamu Confesses to Helping Supporter Fake KCSE Certificate for Police Job

Nominated Senator Karen Nyamu has publicly confessed to assisting one of her loyal campaign supporters in forging a Form 4 national examination certificate to gain admission into the National Police Service (NPS).

Senator Nyamu revealed that despite successfully bypassing initial entry protocols and getting admitted to the prestigious National Police College Main Campus in Kiganjo, Nyeri County, the recruit was subsequently arrested inside the police station alongside 17 other recruits after internal background checks uncovered the fraudulent documents.

Recounting the incident, Senator Nyamu explained that the situation arose out of the desire to reward a staunch youth campaigner who had stood by her during political mobilisation.

According to the lawmaker, the recruit, aged around 28 or 29, lacked the basic Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) Form 4 qualification required for enlistment into the disciplined forces.

Reflecting on the decision to manipulate the official academic records, Senator Nyamu told Radio Generation: “I can even tell you a recent case where I tried to help someone get into the police force. A very staunch campaigner of mine. They're even known. They're young, I think 29, 28. They don't have a Form 4 certificate. We forged the certificate because I had this chance, and I really have to give back.”

The senator explained that the attempt to assist the young supporter was fueled by a drive to offer direct economic opportunities to loyal workers who lack formal qualifications.

The plot came to an abrupt halt during the mandatory training phase at the Kiganjo police academy. While the recruit and her political camp were celebrating the successful enlistment, security investigators conducted routine verification checks on submitted academic documents.

The internal auditing process identified multiple fake certificates among the cohort, leading to immediate police action within the training grounds.

Detailing the exact moment the scheme collapsed and the phone call she received from custody, Senator Nyamu shared: “Do you know, they went to Kiganjo; they did training. I don't know; investigations are usually done. We didn't know. Do you know, he called me when he was at the police station. And the way we were so happy; everyone was happy. He called me when they were arrested. He was arrested because of forgery. And they removed those who had fake papers in Kiganjo; they removed about 18.”

Tracing the root cause of her decision, Senator Nyamu pointed to her earlier experience in public office following the 2017 general elections.

After missing out on an elective seat, she was appointed as a member of the Board of Directors at the Nairobi City Water and Sewerage Company (NCWSC).

Upon attempting to connect her campaign teams, predominantly composed of young residents from informal settlements, to advertised employment opportunities, she encountered a widespread lack of basic academic credentials.

Narrating her initial realisation of the educational gap among grassroots campaigners, Nyamu stated: “When I joined politics in 2017, and I didn't make it, I got an appointment to be a director in Nairobi Water. And my team, the people who had been campaigning for me, mostly people who campaign for us, are from slums.

“I wanted to reward them because there was an advertisement for jobs. I forwarded the advertisement and told them to apply for it, and then they couldn't apply because they don't even have the Form 4 certificate. They do not have qualifications. And for the first time, I was encountering such a situation: all these young people don't have Form 4 certificates.”