By Hope Barbra
It may sound stranger than fiction, but it is the naked truth. At the Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology (KIHBT) Kisii Campus, fraud appears to have taken root.
Students are allegedly required to pay a “facilitation” fee of KSh3,100 to secure a pass in the NTSA-administered exams, and failure to pay results in an automatic fail.
Reports also indicate that KIHBT instructors have been collecting school fees directly in cash or through their personal mobile phone numbers and those of proxies—contrary to college regulations, which require all fees to be paid strictly via the designated school pay bill number.
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), on 28th November 2025, officers obtained search warrants and conducted a search operation at the KIHBT Kisii Campus.
The officers also searched the residences of three officials from KIHBT and the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) in relation to an alleged bribery ring at the institute.
The operation followed reports that instructors in the Plant Operation Department had been soliciting and receiving bribes from students scheduled to undertake test-drive exams.
It was alleged that the demanded amounts were meant to “facilitate” a pass in the NTSA-administered exams.
Further reports indicate that KIHBT instructors have also been collecting school fees directly in cash and through their personal mobile phone numbers and those of proxies, contrary to college regulations that require payments to be made strictly via the designated pay bill number.
Preliminary investigations have established the following:
- The syndicate was operated by two KIHBT instructors: Philip Dawa and Fidel Omondi.
- All students were required to pay a “facilitation” fee of KSh3,100, collected in cash by Fidel Omondi, in order to pass the driving test exams; those who did not pay were automatically failed.
- The money collected by Omondi was shared between NTSA examiners and the two KIHBT instructors.
- After paying the KSh3,100 facilitation fee, some students did not undertake the actual practical exams but still received passing marks and certificates.
- The required tuition fee for the KIHBT campus is KSh65,000, payable strictly via a designated pay bill number, with an additional KSh1,050 for registration.
- Students who opted to pay instructors directly were charged KSh40,000 instead of the mandatory KSh65,000.
- In the last three years, Philip Dawa transacted over KSh34 million via M-Pesa using two mobile numbers, while Fidel Omondi made M-Pesa transactions totaling KSh8 million within the same period.
The operation led to the arrest of Fidel Omondi, from whom KSh171,000 was recovered in an envelope inside his jacket, in addition to other critical evidentiary materials confiscated for analysis and further investigation.
The suspect was processed at the Kisii Police Station pending completion of investigations.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to tackling bribery at service delivery points and encouraged members of the public to report any unethical conduct.
