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Kamanda in forgery claims


Starehe MP Maina Kamanda could lose his seat should investigations by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) prove that he forged his O-level certificate.

The investigations started after the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko wrote to DCI boss Ndegwa Muhoro asking him to probe the forgery allegation by some Starehe voters.

“I have been directed to forward a copy of a self-explanatory letter dated April 19 2013…with directions that you investigate the allegations and favour the Director of Public Prosecution with a comprehensive report on the same,” reads the letter to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations from Ms Mary Wang’ele on Mr Tobiko’s behalf.

Calls and a text message to Mr Kamanda for his side of the story went unanswered.

Although the DCI was tight lipped on the stage the investigations have reached so far, the office of the Director of Public prosecutions expressed its wish to have the matter concluded as fast as possible.

Mr Kamanda’s woes started with a letter of complaint to Mr Tobiko by members of Amani Kariokor-Pangani group (a self-help group) who alleged that Mr Kamanda holds a certificate issued by the East African Education Council (EAEC) in 1974 yet to them, the legislator never went beyond primary school education.

“Mr Kamanda has never been to any post-primary school and has never attained any certificate to that effect so it is shocking to know that he has a certificate from City High,” the group says in the letter signed by its chairman James Mwangi.

In his request to Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the DPP directs Mr Mwangi to provide all the details from Mr Kamanda’s accusers.

Authenticity

According to the chief executive officer of the Kenya National Examination Council Paul Wasanga, proving the authenticity of Mr Kamanda’s certificate is a regional affair.

“We will have to send a request to Uganda because the certificate in question was not issued by Kenya National Examination Council but by the (defunct) East African Examination Council,” Mr Wasanga said. KNEC came into existence in 1980.

But before KNEC can send such a request, the order must either come from a court of law, a government agency like the DCI or the holder of the certificate, Mr Wasanga said.  The examinations council, he added, had not received such a request.

If the claims are confirmed by the DCI, Mr Kamanda may be forced to resign sending Starehe residents back to the ballot barely seven months after elections to elect another representative.