For close to five years, Northwestern Christian University College has been issuing diplomas, bachelors and PhD qualifications to individual seeking to study religion at the Gate of Holiness Worship Centre Church and college in Bombolulu, Mombasa County.
The college was thrust into the limelight on Friday when the Commission for University Education (CUE) and police disrupted a graduation ceremony at Wild Waters Park and arrested graduands, owners of the church and university officials.
The church and the alleged online university, which education officials say is not recognised in Kenya, run crash online programmes that have seen many faithful of the Gate of Holiness Worship Centre Church acquire academic certificates within a year.
On its website, the university states that one can apply for a 90-day degree programme and save on fees and tuition costs, but also valuable time.
Mistaken identity? Church officials arrested for conducting graduation ceremony in Mombasa
The Nation interviews with church leaders and graduates of the various programmes reveal that hundreds, if not thousands, of preachers in Kenya, hold papers from the discredited university.
Mr Wyclife Saya, a pastor at Gate of Holiness Worship Centre Church, said their founder Moses Masiga started the college to help the faithful who want to venture into religious studies to get certification.
"This (the arrests) is just an examination, we have gone through tests in our 26 years of existence as a church. The college was started to help our religious leaders and faithful who have the calling to get certified to preach the word of God. The majority of the graduates are pastors," he said.
However, when asked whether the college was certified, the pastor appeared unsure.
"Some police officers stormed our graduation ceremony saying they had been sent from above. They told us we had not followed some due procedure. They arrested our church and university founder Moses Masiga and his vice-chancellor,” said Mr Saya who graduated with a Diploma in Theology within a year, some years ago.
“I think they associated us with the university that gave Mr Sudi (Kapseret MP Mr Oscar Sudi) a honorary degree, but we have got nothing to do with it.”
When the Nation.Africa team visited the church on Sunday, we found the faithful deep in prayers and others discussing the arrest of their spiritual leader.
"Yes, we are very sad. You know when your father is out, you will be sad as a child. He is our bishop, he runs more than 65 churches across the country,” said a congregant who sought anonymity for personal reasons.
“The classes are conducted within our branches. It's a local college under international cover, I am an alumnus of this school, which is why I am a preacher. I have a Diploma in Theology, which I did within a year," he added.
He revealed some students are offered scholarships, but others pay the fees.
A member of the church who requested anonymity said she acquired a Degree in Theology from the same university.
"Many of us have graduated from college, it is authentic. Why pounce on us now, yet we started operations more than four years ago?" she said.
But Nyali Directorate of Criminal Investigations Officer Mohamed Jillo maintained that the university is nonexistent.
"The students were being taught online after paying Sh100,000 or Sh50,000 per semester and graduation is organised before completing studies. The founder says he has three PhDs yet only his primary and secondary school certifications are recognised in Kenya," he said.
Mr Jillo said the suspects will face 30 charges for awarding fake PhDs, masters, degrees, diplomas and certificates to unsuspecting Kenyans.
Unpacked: Academic paper forgery crisis in Kenya
He warned Kenyans from taking shortcuts in life, urging them to instead seek education advancement from recognised institutions.
Chairman of the Commission for University (CUE) Chacha Nyaigoti said Northwestern Christian University is not registered and has no legal authority to issue degrees in Kenya.
"Many unsuspecting Kenyans were awarded fake degrees, including PhDs. We have partnered with relevant state institutions to arrest the main suspects running the institution. As per our Universities Act, you can't run such an institution without the required documents," said Prof Nyaigoti during the operation,
Commission for University Education Chairman Prof Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha during the a press conference at CUE offices.
Photo credit: File| Nation Media Group
CUE chairman Prof Mike Kuria, said the institution is not registered in Kenya.
"We have flagged some of these uncredited institutions, but despite this, they continue to operate without license. So something needs to be done," said Prof Kuria.
On February 12, detectives in Mombasa uncovered a fraudulent conferment of masters and doctorate degrees at a beach hotel.
Four individuals, including two foreign nationals identified as Dayis Lawrence Bennett (an American citizen), Farah Akbar (a Pakistani national), Ekra Wambui Ndung'u, and Josephine Ndune were arrested.
The four were arraigned in Shanzu and charged with five criminal offences, including offering degrees without accreditation of foreign universities, contrary to Section 28(2) and (3), as read with Section 28(5) of the Universities Act.
They denied all the charges and were granted a bond of Sh400,000 with a Kenyan surety of the same amount. Alternatively, they could pay a cash bail of Sh300,000.
