Kisumu Planning Drector Robert Winji Faces Sack Over Forged Academic Papers

A senior Kisumu County official is staring at immediate dismissal after a professional body exposed him for allegedly using forged academic papers to secure his lucrative position.

Robert Rawinji, the director of planning, is at the centre of a storm after the Kenya Institute of Planners revealed that his Registration Certificate Serial No. 392 is fake and does not appear in the register of qualified physical planners.

In a hard-hitting letter to the Secretary to the Public Service Board and the Head of Civil Service, the institute has demanded Rawinji’s immediate termination, warning that his appointment is irregular and unlawful.

The planners body says the fraudulent certificate was used to hoodwink county bosses into hiring Rawinji for the critical position at Kisumu city planning department.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the referenced registration certificate does not appear in the register of registered physical planners, as confirmed by the Physical Planners Registration Board pursuant to the provisions of the Physical Planners Registration Act 1996,” the letter states.

The institute has backed its claims with a confirmation letter from the Registrar of the Physical Planners Registration Board, leaving little room for doubt about the authenticity of their allegations.

The professional body has now given the Kisumu County Public Service Board a 14-day ultimatum to correct the irregularity and take appropriate administrative action against the embattled director.

“We firmly request that the appointment be terminated immediately in compliance with the law. We further advise the Kisumu County Public Service Board to expeditiously correct this irregularity,” the institute warned.

The body has also demanded written confirmation of the action taken within the same two-week period.

The scandal raises serious questions about the recruitment process at the county government and how Rawinji managed to sail through the vetting process with allegedly fake credentials.

It also threatens to open a Pandora’s box as concerns grow over how many other county officials may have secured their positions using dubious academic papers.

The Physical Planners Registration Act of 1996 makes it a criminal offense to practice as a physical planner without proper registration, casting further legal jeopardy on Rawinji’s position.

County officials have yet to respond to the damning allegations as pressure mounts for swift action against the director.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​