Johnson Sakaja asked to appear before CUE as degree saga heats up

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja with his lawyers after he presented himself at the  DCI Headquarters in Nairobi on June 17, 2022, over his degree saga. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

The universities regulator has now summoned embattled Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja to appear before it on Monday to provide details about his education at Uganda’s Team University.

Commission for University Education (CUE) maintains that Sajaka’s degree stands revoked and stated that the legislator will have a chance to prove he actually applied for, was admitted, attended, studied, sat examinations, passed and graduated from the institution.

This emerged as the saga took another twist after Sakaja presented himself at Mazingira House, the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) headquarters, following media reports that he was facing arrest over his involvement in an alleged international criminal syndicate.

He was, however, told there was no ongoing probe and emerged to accuse DCI director George Kinoti of being used by high powers to intimidate him to quit the city governorship race.

He said the agency has turned political instead of carrying out his mandate of investigations.

‘‘We know the intentions these people have and that is why they are going to all lengths to prevent my candidature. We have come here but we were not told anything,’’ he said.

In a late evening press briefing, CUE chairperson Prof Chacha Nyaigotti-Chacha released a list of 10 points that the commission requires Sakaja to provide details of proof of his education in the foreign institution.

When Sakaja appears to the CUE Monday, he will be required to provide names of some of his lecturers who taught him at the university and any communication between him and the institution’s academic or administrative staff.

He will also be required to provide proof of graduation with evidence of a graduation booklet that contains his name and also, make available a photographic evidence of his graduation in a gown.

Prof Nyaigotti-Chacha said, however, admitted CUE cleared Sakaja’s papers based on positive response from the Uganda’s universities regulator, The National Council for Higher Education (NCHE).

He said that indeed the university had also confirmed that Sakaja was their student and that he graduated on October 21, 2016.

“Based on that confirmation, the Commission processed the application accordingly and issued a recognition certificate vide reference CUE/10/9/1 VOL.590. and serial number 18247,” said Nyaigotti-Chacha.

However, he said the clearance letter issued to Sakaja had a disclaimer that the Commission retains the right to revoke recognition of the certificate in the event that it established any reason that makes the award in question ineligible for recognition and/or equation.

“On diverse dates, the Commission received complaints from members of the public and civil society casting doubts on the authenticity of the degree certificate submitted to CUE by Sakaja.  The gravity of the matters raised, made the Commission to revoke its decision to recognise the degree qualification in Kenya pending further investigations in liaison with other relevant investigative agencies,” he said.

Letter of admission

Nyagotti-Chacha added the investigations are ongoing and CUE now wants Sakaja to provide proof for his application for the course, letter of admission from the university and evidence of registration inducing his student’s identification.

He will also be required to provide proof for the credit accumulation and transfer system, course description for the Bachelor of science in Management (External) and the course units he undertook.

Prof Nyaigotti-Chacha also said that Sakaja will be required to provide his transcripts, examination schedules and the graduation booklet.

In addition to these, Sakaja will also be required to provide proof in terms of receipts for application fees paid, tuition fees, graduation and convocation fees.

Nyaigotti-Chacha said CUE has again written to NCHE and Team University seeking further information regarding this matter.

“The problem of fraudulent degree certificates has become endemic and bears a huge reputational risk to the University academic programmes. We shall work tirelessly to guard against this threat to our education system and as a Commission we will blacklist any university which colludes on the issuance of fraudulent degrees” he said.

The CUE boss also took some time to delink President Uhuru Kenyatta from the woes facing Sakaja. 

“We take great exception to these insinuations and assure the public that we shall not be intimidated or in any way influenced by such gimmicks during this political season,” he said.

He said that they would blacklist any university that colludes to offer fraudulent degrees. 

At the DCI, Sakaja claimed, without mentioning names, that he had been told to step down from the city race so that his woes end but he is not ready to that.

“I have been told that if I step down, all these will stop. I am not stepping down, I am running for governor. The aspirations of millions of Nairobians that have found inspiration and hope in our messages must be met. I want to tell DCI to stop playing politics,’’ he said.

He assured his supporters that he will not step down, saying they believe in clean and issue-based politics and not intimidation.

‘‘I will not be stopped from campaigning and going out to seek the mandate of 2.5 million voters of Nairobi,’’  he said.

Sakaja accused a local daily, which had a story yesterday with a headline that he is being investigated by DCI over an international criminal syndicate, of not caring to contact him to get his side of the story.

“You have all seen the kind of media reports that is going around. There has been a string of stories with headlines that DCI is investigating me over serious crimes of international scale, without seeking my comment.  And the person who is quoted in the story is the DCI yet I am easily available.”

One of Sakaja’s lawyers accused DCI of publicly investigating their client, instead of doing so quietly and forwarding the files to relevant authorities.

‘‘Today we have come here and our client has not been told to write a statement even one sentence  or told any iota of evidence they have against him and this is what we are trying to avoid. Our worry now is we do not know whether he will be arrested at night,’’ he said.

He said they asked DCI whether there is a complainant on the international crime but they said there isn’t.

‘‘The DCI cannot be the complainant, reporter in the media, arrester and decide what point he will arrest and release our client,’’ he added.

[Augustine Oduor, Allan Mungai and James Wanzala]