The awarding of honorary degrees to Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi by the little-known Northwestern Christian University has taken a new turn after the Commission for University Education (CUE) said it was investigating the institution, which it has listed among the unaccredited.
The commission wants to take legal action against the US-based university for offering the degrees, after it was flagged by the regulator last year for offering unaccredited courses.
“The Commission is currently investigating the circumstance surrounding the purported award of degrees by Northwestern Christian University. The Commission shall therefore take appropriate legal measures where applicable against Northwestern Christian University,” the Commission said in a statement.
It said Northwestern Christian University was among institutions flagged as unaccredited last year and warned members of the public against enrolling for courses.
“The Commission has taken note of widely circulating media reports on purported issuance of honorary doctorates in Kenya by an entity going by the name Northwestern Christian University. The university is unaccredited and this fact was brought to public attention in June 2023 that the university was not accredited to offer any university education in Kenya,” added the statement.
It warned that any purported certificate issued by the Northwestern Christian University would not be recognised in the country.
The Kapseret MP was awarded a symbolic doctorate degree in Leadership Administration and Management by the Northwestern Christian University, one of 13 institutions listed by CUE last year for illegally offering undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma courses.
In addition to Mr Sudi, the Northwestern University also awarded honorary degrees in public administration and political science to Sirisia MP John Waluke.
It also awarded an honorary degree in leadership, administration and management to Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa in absentia during a ceremony held at Eldoret National Polytechnic.
Former Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri was a guest at the event attended by UDA nominated MP Joseph Iraya Wainaina, who was awarded an honorary degree by the same university last year for his peace efforts to unite Kenyans.
The Northwestern Christian University awarded doctoral, master's and bachelor's degrees as well as diplomas and certificates during the country's 17th graduation ceremony held at the Eldoret National Polytechnic.
The university has since disowned the awarding of the degrees, describing it as a fraud perpetrated by criminals operating in Kenya and Uganda.
“We were upset to have such fraud committed against us and also the fact that they cheated many Kenyans. They forged our degrees and logo and at one time even used names of our leaders. The fake school was operated by criminals in both Kenya and Uganda,” Dr Yolanda Rivera, the Registrar and Director of Admissions at the university in the US, said in response to protests by a cross-section of Kenyans following the award of the honorary degrees.
She said fraudsters were offering secular courses, something the religious institution does not do.
“All of our studies are geared toward ministry related avocations only and we do not offer secular courses,” explained the registrar.
The university’s management has provided the government with copies of the fake degrees being issued by the fraudsters and photos of graduation ceremonies.
“It took 2-3 years to bring them to justice and since then numerous students from the fake school have contacted us and provided samples of the fake degrees and graduation photos. Some have enrolled into our NCU online degree programmes,” added the statement.
