Ugandan higher education boss evades press over Joho papers

By Philip Mwakio

Officials from the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUEA), an institution of the East African Community, Tuesday prevented journalists from interviewing Uganda’s National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) executive director Opuda Asibo over the saga surrounding the degree awarded to Mombasa Governor, Hassan Joho.

Prof Asibo, a reputable academician in the region is embroiled in a saga surrounding the awarding of a degree to Joho, which is now at the centre of a court case challenging Joho’s eligibility to contest for a guovernor’s seat.

Officials urged journalists to book appointments, saying the professor was not in a position to speak to them. Cosam Chawanga, from IUEA quality assurance office said Asibo had told him that he was not ready to address the media.

“He is not ready unless you book an appointment and have the interview conducted in Kampala,’’ said Dr Chawanga.

The academician had jetted into the country to attend the seventhh meeting of IUEA Planning, Finance and Human Resource Committee at a Mombasa hotel.

There has been a clash between Ugandan Criminal Intelligence and Investigations (CIID) and education officials over the clearance of Joho’s degree from Kampala University (KU). In December Asibo wrote to the Education Ministry indicating that Joho’s papers were in order and urged CIID to halt their investigations.