Fresh Petition Revives Scrutiny Over Fazul Mahamed’s Academic Records and Public Service Eligibility

By East Africa Times Reporter 

Fazul Mahamed Former DG Private Security Regulatory Authority

A new complaint submitted to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission on 27 November 2025 has brought renewed attention to the long-running debate surrounding the academic history, eligibility for office, and accountability of former NGO Coordination Board chief and former Private Security Regulatory Authority Director General Fazul Mahamed.

In the letter, citizen Haggai Odiawo asks the anti-graft agency to clarify why, despite earlier investigations and persistent public questions, Fazul has reportedly continued to access state benefits associated with positions he previously held. Odiawo also states that based on publicly available salary information, Mr. Fazul received about KSh 56,240,000 in cumulative earnings while serving as the head of both the NGO Coordination Board and the Private Security Regulatory Authority. He now wants those funds refunded.

While Odiawo is not the first to raise these matters, his petition appears to be the most pointed so far. It comes at a time when Kenyans are increasingly asking for openness from public institutions. Odiawo argues that citizens deserve clear answers on long-standing concerns about the academic records presented by Fazul during his appointments to senior regulatory roles. He further notes that based on public reports, Fazul may have been registered at Egerton University under the name Mahamed Yusuf and was allegedly discontinued in his third year. He argues that if these widely circulated claims are accurate, they raise valid questions about whether Fazul met the required qualifications and whether the public should recover any benefits connected to those appointments.

None of Odiawo’s claims amount to findings of wrongdoing. No court has convicted Fazul over his academic history, and he has consistently defended his right to serve in public office. However, the existence of earlier official inquiries has kept the debate alive.

The new petition cites previous investigations by oversight bodies, including the Commission on Administrative Justice and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission. Both bodies indicated in their public reports that they encountered difficulties while trying to verify the academic documents submitted during Fazul’s 2014 appointment to the NGO Coordination Board.

In 2016, the Commission on Administrative Justice reported that it could not authenticate the degree certificate said to have been presented during the appointment and recommended administrative action. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission also reported similar challenges. These findings did not result in criminal charges but sparked an extended public discussion on transparency in public appointments.

Fazul later served as the Director General of the Private Security Regulatory Authority, where he became a well-known and sometimes polarising figure. He championed major reforms in the security sector and received both praise and criticism. His tenure ended in 2024, yet Odiawo argues that unresolved concerns from earlier years still overshadow his service in public roles.

The main issue raised by Odiawo is not limited to whether Fazul holds a particular academic certificate. It is about whether public institutions take clear action when questions arise about senior appointments. The petition challenges the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to provide a clear public explanation. It asks whether earlier concerns were addressed, whether the matter was closed, and on what grounds.

Odiawo also urges the commission to examine whether any state benefits connected to the appointments should be reviewed, not as an assumption of guilt, but as a commitment to transparency and accountability. His letter reflects a broader belief that unanswered questions weaken public confidence in regulatory institutions.

At its heart, the matter has grown beyond one individual. It now presents a test of Kenya’s commitment to institutional integrity. The petition requires the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to revisit a file that continues to reappear and to offer the clarity that many citizens believe has been lacking for nearly a decade.

Whether the commission will reopen the case, issue a statement, or decide not to take further action is still unknown. However, Odiawo’s letter shows that the demand for transparency remains strong, and oversight bodies may be pressed to finally address the unresolved questions directly.