Most Kenyans find it hard to process what is happening with Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja as far as his academic credentials are concerned. The UDA Nairobi governorship candidate has been a front runner for obvious reasons.
Since he burst into the scene through TNA in 2013, he has carried himself with political decorum, appealing to all divides.
His speech during the TNA launch 10 years ago, is one you cannot get tired of listening to. By then, he was 27.
Yet, he spoke like a veteran leader in a speech laden with revolutionary policies for the youth. For President Uhuru Kenyatta to have trusted him that much, he definitely saw a promising young leader.
In 10 years, Sakaja has been the voice of reason. He is a great debater and mentioned alongside other promising young leaders such as Mutula Kilonzo Jnr.
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He claims to have rejected a Sh35 million bribe to hand over a nomination certificate. He resigned from a Senate committee for flouting Covid-19 rules.
With this background any Kenyan who had hopes in young leaders, must be disappointed today. Without passing judgement, it is easy to tell that there is something wrong somewhere. Up until the process of clearing governor candidates began, Sakaja had never mentioned Team University in Uganda as being his alma mater.
The only institution that always featured when he spoke of his humble beginnings is the University of Nairobi. Sakaja says his sojourn into politics began in the quest to find some income to help him clear his school fees at the university, eventually landing a role as driver and PA to a senior government official.
That notwithstanding, proving one’s academic credentials should be the easiest thing to do. No one graduates without a certificate. However, even without one, there are several ways to prove that one actually stepped into class: Course mates, transcripts, graduation booklet, fee payment receipts, photos, admission letter, lecturers, emails or letters.
Instead, Sakaja has only shared letters of communication between the Commissions for higher education in Kenya and Uganda as proof. Whatever is being proven is nowhere except for an unverifiable document circulated on twitter.
His quest has been punctured. He has no one to blame. Not even President Uhuru Kenyatta whom he is struggling to pull in the mud. The onus is solely on him to prove he has the credentials.
In such a charged a political season, he should not have allowed his opponents to question his integrity. It is the one thing that had set him aside from the crowd. In the words of former US President George Washington, a reputation may be repaired but the eyes will always be where the crack happened.
The writer is anchor at Radio Maisha
