Reports from insiders reveal that embattled former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu is making a desperate bid to reclaim lost power. He thinks we’ve forgotten how his time in office was marred by mismanagement, corruption and an utter disregard for integrity.

Numerous reports confirm that Machogu abused his position to favour those in his personal circles over more qualified candidates.

He turned the recruitment process into a farce as employment letters were distributed during public rallies which greatly undermined the credibility of the hiring process and fostered a culture of corruption within the Ministry of Education.

His juniors were well inspired by their boss.

Machogu made grand claims of overhauling the education sector but his actions fell woefully short mainly because they failed to address the critical issues facing primary education such as infrastructure deficits and inadequate teacher training and the ongoing crisis in junior secondary schools.

The reforms he touted were largely superficial and did not birth any solution to systemic problems plaguing our educational institutions.

Perhaps the most damning aspect of Machogu’s tenure was the scandal surrounding the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) results.

The examination results were riddled with irregularities and with accusations of inflated grades and compromised examination integrity.

It goes without saying that the handling of the results by the Ministry of Education was a complete disaster which affected the futures of countless students.

It eroded public trust in the examination system and demonstrated Machogu’s inability to oversee critical national assessments.

Sources say Machogu is actively lobbying and manoeuvring behind the scenes in a bid to regain a government position.

The audacity of his attempts to re-enter government is not just a personal affront but a direct threat to the integrity of our public institutions.

His track record of inefficiency and corruption should disqualify him from any future roles in leadership and his removal from consideration for future positions is a necessary step towards restoring integrity and effectiveness in our public institutions.

We must remain vigilant.

Such characters should not be allowed another chance to exploit the system for their own gain.