Several years ago, when reports emerged that the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, Hassan Joho, had scored a D- in his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations, his political rivals seized on the revelation to cast doubt on his suitability for high office.
Rather than let the controversy define him, the former Mombasa governor embarked on a journey to advance his education, pursuing further studies despite questions surrounding some of the academic qualifications he subsequently obtained.
After his secondary school performance and university credentials became the subject of public scrutiny and legal battles, Mr Joho has now taken another step in his academic journey, enrolling as a postgraduate student at the Technical University of Mombasa (TUM).
Sources at the institution said he is pursuing a Master's in Development Studies and that he is finalising his first year, with the examinations ongoing. The course takes two years.
The university vice-chancellor, Prof Laila Abubakar, confirmed that the former Mombasa governor is actively undertaking his studies and research at the coastal institution.
Mr Joho’s academic history has frequently been a subject of public debate and political scrutiny, particularly regarding his secondary school performance. However, the CS has consistently framed his path as a testament to resilience, pointing to poverty and early financial burdens as the primary cause of his delayed education.
Speaking emotionally at the university on Tuesday during the #slashthehate campaign, Mr Joho reflected on the cost of lost time and the structural hurdles faced by disadvantaged youth.
"Time can be costly for some people, changing their lives completely. Ask me, a person who had the opportunity to attend my higher education when I was a grown man, an adult. I wish I had a different opportunity in the four years that I wasted. But I want to state here categorically that historical struggles in some places for some people are real," said Mr Joho.
I got a D- in my secondary education - Joho
He highlighted how poverty forces many young people to work before pursuing education, sharing details of his own high school years when he had to balance work and studies.
"I worked when I was in secondary school. In fact, the day I write my book I will give the details of the story. I had a perfect arrangement with the principal of the school. I told him, don't be bothered with me, don't send me away because I will still leave school early unlike the others. Why? Because I needed to work. I needed to go and do a job as a side hustle," he revealed.
He urged young people to engage constructively in politics to help shape policies that cushion future generations from similar hardships, adding that despite his early struggles, he considers it a privilege to serve in Cabinet among 50 million Kenyans.
During his vetting by the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments in 2024 for his Cabinet appointment, Mr Joho addressed his educational background before the panel led by Speaker Moses Wetang'ula.
Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs Hassan Ali Joho.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
He confirmed to lawmakers that he scored a D- (minus) in his 1993 KCSE examinations at Serani Secondary School, explaining that socio-economic hardship delayed his academic progression.
"Some of us come from poor backgrounds. I did not grow up in an environment that allowed me to prosper in terms of education. Unlike many Kenyans, I started working before chasing books, but that does not mean I am a failure," he told the committee.
To illustrate his trajectory, he cited historical academic figures who overcame early examination hurdles.
"I drew my inspiration from Prof Ali Mazrui. He did not succeed in his Cambridge examination to be admitted to the university for his first degree, but he became one of the most renowned scholars," he stated.
Following his KCSE exams in 1993, financial challenges forced Mr Joho to delay his post-secondary enrollment. He later undertook a structured academic path, completing a certificate course in business administration in 2008 and a diploma in human resource management in 2007.
He subsequently earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Kampala University in 2013 and a second degree from Gretsa University in Thika. Before enrolling at TUM, Mr Joho also undertook public leadership studies at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government as part of a pathway toward a mid-career Master’s in Public Administration.
Reflecting on persistent inquiries into his credentials throughout his tenure as Kisauni MP (2007–2013) and Mombasa Governor (2013–2022), Mr Joho maintained that leaders often face unfair academic scepticism, asserting that non-traditional pathways can also produce fully qualified leaders.
