Nairobi senator and gubernatorial aspirant Johnson Sakaja has snubbed summons to appear before the Commission for University Education (CUE) to provide evidence that the degree qualification he presented is valid.
Mr Sakaja was on Friday asked by the commission to present a raft of documents to prove that the degree he presented for clearance from Team University of Uganda is genuine.
At the time, Mr Sakaja’s clearance by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was hanging in the balance but he was given the greenlight to vie on Sunday.
“We have been waiting for Mr Sakaja to come to our offices since 10.00 am as earlier communicated. Until now he has not shown up,” said the CUE chair Prof Chacha Nyaigotti in a press release.
After initially recognising Mr Sakaja’s degree, the commission revoked it citing new information it had received that the document might have been obtained fraudulently.
The senator was asked to present to the commission proof that he attended the university. He was required to submit the admission letter, student ID, transcripts, proof of coursework done, receipts of tuition fees paid to Team University, graduation photos and list of lecturers who taught him at the institution.
On Sunday, Nairobi County returning officer Albert Gogo cleared Mr Sakaja, after the IEBC Disputes Resolution Tribunal said they had no reason to doubt the authenticity of the degree presented by the city senator.
“This committee and IEBC have no tools to establish the authenticity of the degree certificate presented by Mr Sakaja,” stated the tribunal panel led by lawyer George Mburugu sitting with Juliana Cherera (IEBC vice-chairperson) and Commissioner Boya Molu.
However, CUE Monday maintained that recognition of the degree stands revoked and that it can only be lifted by the commission.
“CUE is the only institution mandated in law to recognise foreign-earned degrees in order to allow IEBC issue them with nomination to run as governor/deputy governor or president/deputy president. Any other method that he wants to apply will not stop us from fulfilling our mandate as provided for by the law,” Prof Nyaigotti said.
He said that the summon was delivered to the senator through various means including WhatsApp, text message, phone calls and a formal delivery of the letter at the Senate offices.
“So any claim that he received our communication through the press is malicious and false,” the chair said.
Mr Sakaja claims that he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree management (External) degree in 2016 from the private Ugandan University. He says that he attended the lectures virtually.
He was also a student at the University of Nairobi where he enrolled for an actuarial science degree that he never completed.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) also directed the Inspector-General of Police to carry out speedy investigations to establish the authenticity of Mr Sakaja’s degree and present a report by July 1.
