Officials from the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) have confiscated 17 mobile phones from candidates sitting for the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams in Marsabit County.
The devices were seized in two separate incidents at Sessi Mixed Secondary School in Moyale and in Saku constituency. Nine students were found with phones at Sessi Mixed, while eight private candidates were caught in Saku.
Confirming the incidents, Marsabit Central Assistant County Commissioner David Saruni said investigations have already begun to determine the extent of the malpractice.
According to a police report, KNEC officials conducting routine inspections discovered that some candidates were in possession of mobile phones and immediately ordered them to surrender the devices.
“After the recovery, the nine candidates were allowed to proceed with their Chemistry Paper One examination (code 233/1) at Sessi Mixed,” the report stated.
The confiscated phones have since been handed over to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) for further analysis.
Marsabit County currently has 4,126 students sitting for the KCSE exams across 51 examination centres.
According to the DCI and KNEC, authorities have been tracking an elaborate online exam malpractice network, with at least 51 Telegram channels linked to syndicates between last year and August 2025. So far, 32 of these channels have been shut down, while 19 remain under surveillance ; though most have become inactive as their subscriber numbers dwindle.
Fraudsters are said to have been using social media platforms, particularly Telegram and WhatsApp, to lure candidates, parents, and school officials with fake exam materials.
This year, 996,078 candidates are sitting the three-week national exams, which are scheduled to conclude on November 21.
Police in Kajiado County have arrested two students from Merishaw School in connection with alleged exam irregularities as investigations into the incident continue.
Authorities also confirmed that seven teachers from the same school have recorded statements with investigators to assist in the ongoing probe.
Speaking in Kwale County on Monday while supervising the distribution of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination papers, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba issued a stern warning to those involved in exam malpractice.
Ogamba emphasized that individuals found culpable would face personal consequences, noting that the government would no longer punish entire schools for the actions of a few offenders.