The charlatans haunting workplaces

One of the biggest headaches of the now defunct local authorities was the spectre of "ghost workers".

They literally haunted town halls. They haemorrhaged payrolls.

But no one had the temerity to exorcise the ghosts.

Only Ms Anne Waiguru, when she was the Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning, initiated a massive programme of utilising biometrics to bottle the ghost workers.

MEDIA CAMPAIGN
We still cannot authoritatively say that our payrolls are safe from the ghosts, especially those of big employers.

But ghosts seem to have partners in the fashion of charlatans.

Our media have diligently chronicled these baffling, if not, eerie tales of stranger than fiction types.

But why not? Haven’t we heard the legend of Nairobi’s River Road and its production of fake certificates, motor vehicle logbooks, and title deeds?

BOGUS CERTIFICATES
So, when our jaws dropped with revelations of a man who allegedly manoeuvred through the choicest of jobs, it was just but a deja vu.

The corridors of our institutions are full of charlatans who either faked their certificates, or hold positions beyond their academic and technical competency.

Just recently, the political arena treated us to a series of juicy spats with accusations flying all over on forged academic papers.

Since no sanctions have been applied on the supposed culprits, is it not a suggestion that as a society we are slowly regularising this anomie?

SACKED EMPLOYEES

Does it not worry us that increasingly, our consciences are twisted, where we cheer manipulative deeds that transgress against the public good?

Politics aside. Today, if an independent forensic audit were to be lodged in most organisations, on the small matter of academic qualifications, we might be scandalised by the exposés.

In 2015, for instance, the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) sacked some 300 workers over forged academic papers.

Even our neighbours Tanzania, early this year dismissed about 10, 000 civil servants with fake academic credentials.

CORPORATE CULTURE
What does this tell us? It suggests a pathological systems failure such as lack of rigour in vetting during recruitment, runaway cover-ups, naivety, impunity, or sheer ignorance on the part of the custodians of human resource.

Yet, this reality is chewing into the very fabric essential for thriving organisations.

Sadly, the imposters, including incompetents, have unjustly disenfranchised deserving people.

It is a disaster. The result is a terrible corporate culture, a demoralised workforce and spectacular underperformance.

THREAT TO GOALS

It is foolhardy to suggest blockbuster innovations or exceptional productivity in such an environment replete with mediocrity.

This makes nonsense of the doctrine of unimpeachable academic credentials as requisite for prosperous organisations.

These imposters pose a great risk either to humanity or generally the collective aspirations and strategy of organisations.

Take the example of the fake doctor of Kapsabet in Nandi County.

He might have caused irreparable damage. This shows the danger that we expose society and our organisation to when we tolerate fakes in our midst.

OPPORTUNISTS
Interestingly, the charlatans have got chutzpah. They are masters of disguises and deceit.

They are fantastic at manipulation, as they take advantage of our rigged organisational systems to wield immense power and influence.

Interestingly, it is commonplace for organisations to hold the waists of these imposters into an intimate tango while ignoring authentic professionals.

This begs the question: Are our captains truly interested in the growth of organisations?

Why are we then too cosy with ineptitude?

Could it be the reason Silicon Valley will always blaze ahead of our corporates, thanks to its culture of excellence?

LEADERS' ROLE
But we need to bottle this jinni. For a start, the Institute of Human Resource Management must rein in its members to exercise professionalism in validating academic qualifications to flush out all the imposters.

Keen interest should be on public institutions because they ride on taxpayers’ money.

Public institutions should take the cue from KPA or Tanzania.

The law should also dictate that the names, tittles, universities attended and academic credentials of public servants be published on corporate websites.

ECONOMIC PROGRESS

Universities should enable the public to scrutinise these qualifications.

An economy that yearns to grow will be heavily encumbered if folks driving the agenda lack the obligatory training and aptitudes.

Folks, be afraid because if the swamp of mediocrity and imposters is not drained from our institutions, Kenya will stagnate ad infinitum.

Mr Wamanji is a public relations expert [email protected] Twitter: @manjis