Fact Check : Nakuru county website lists incorrect info for senior officials

Nakuru county website remains the primary reference point for anyone seeking official information about the administration, its programs as well as the office bearers.

However, a cross check by Mtaa Wangu of the published biographies discovered what appears to be a misleading information regarding the credentials of multiple senior officials.

According to the information on the website some of the officials are shown to have identical academic and professional backgrounds while others have credentials which are different from the public records.

For instance, all senior officials, including the governor, deputy governor, county secretary and other members of the county executive committee, are listed as having obtained a Master of Political Science between 1979 and 1983 from Columbia University, followed by an undergraduate degree in politics from the University of Chicago School, a diploma in business management from University of Business, NY, and Higher School Education from a School of Losangle.

Each profile also credits the official with 25 years of experience, regardless of age or career history.

The uniformity of the qualifications immediately raises questions, particularly when weighed against publicly known career paths and verifiable professional records.

Governor Susan Kihika’s academic and professional history is also misrepresented.

Public records show that she was admitted to the University of North Texas, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, before proceeding to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, where she obtained a Juris Doctor degree. She was subsequently admitted to the Texas Bar after passing the requisite examinations.

However, the biography attributed to her on the county website describes a career in American political consultancy and media firms, including senior roles at campaign organizations and the founding of political media companies, a narrative that does not align with her known professional background.

Deputy Governor David Kones, for instance, is a career educationist who served as a high school principal in several institutions. He holds a degree in Education from Egerton University, not a Master’s degree in Political Science from a foreign university as stated on the county website.

Health County Executive Committee member Roselyn Mungai holds a Master of Science in Organizational Development from the United States International University and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Community Development from Daystar University.

Dr Victor Mwandale Achoka, who was recently appointed to the cabinet, has a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and an MBA in Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurial Studies, yet his profile indicates none of that, alongside the new team sworn in in August.

County Secretary Dr Samuel Mwaura is similarly listed as holding a Master of Political Science, yet available information indicates he holds a degree in Pharmacy, with other credentials not clearly outlined on the public platform.

The repeated biographies, some containing text unrelated to Kenyan public service and referencing foreign political consultancy careers, suggest that a single template was uploaded across multiple profiles without being edited to reflect individual officials’ actual backgrounds.

In effect, the county has published information that is not only misleading but, in some cases, plainly incorrect.

While the Kenyan law does not expressly require county governments to publish detailed academic and professional profiles of public officers, Article 35 of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to access information held by the State, a right given effect through the Access to Information Act, 2016.

The Act places an obligation on public institutions to proactively disclose information that promotes accountability and transparency and to ensure that information released to the public is accurate and reliable.

While counties are not compelled by law to publish executive biographies online, once they choose to do so, they assume a responsibility to ensure that the information shared is truthful and not misleading.

Inaccurate disclosures defeat the purpose of transparency and erode public confidence in official communication.

For Nakuru residents, reliance on the county website is often unavoidable, and when the platform meant to inform the public instead publishes copy-pasted profiles and implausible academic timelines, it raises legitimate concerns about diligence, oversight, and respect for the public’s right to accurate information.

The inconsistencies do not suggest that county officials are unqualified or improperly appointed. Rather, they point to a failure of basic administrative care in an exercise that was meant to enhance openness.

Correcting the errors would require little more than updating each profile to reflect the official’s true education and professional history.

Until that is done, the county government’s transparency effort risks being overshadowed by questions it did not need to raise, leaving residents to wonder how a simple task of editing biographies was overlooked at the highest levels of county administration.