How I obtained a Master's Degree before the Undergraduate one, Wavinya Ndeti explains

Machakos Governor candidate Wavinya Ndeti. [File, Standard]

Wiper Machakos governorship candidate Wavinya Ndeti has explained how she got a master’s Degree before an undergraduate degree.

This comes hours after the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) cleared her to run for the seat following a complaint filed by two voters in Machakos.

In an exclusive interview on Spice FM this morning, Ndeti said she was able to pursue master's before an Undergraduate Degree because she studied in the United Kingdom whose education system is far much different from Kenya's.

“I did not waste my time going to court because somebody questioned my documents.  I have had the certificates for about 30 years now. I studied in London; Southbank and City University and if there is anyone in doubt, why don’t you approach the institutions?” she said.

According to the third-time governorship hopeful, she did a Certificate in Business Systems and Designs and then did an Advanced Diploma on the same.

A year later, completed her Graduate Diploma in the same field before joining the City University again for her Master’s Degree and graduated in 1992. All this she says, took four years.

A graduate diploma is an academic or vocational qualification often taken after a bachelor's degree. It is usually awarded by a university or any certified institution of higher learning.

“After graduating with my master's in 1992, I got my first child and since my husband was working, I was a stay-at-home mother taking care of my children,” she told Spice FM.

Upon completing her maternity break, Ndeti says he went back to South Bank University where she converted her Graduate Diploma to a  master's degree.

“I had to learn for a year and do a physical project which translated to marks. It was converted in 1995. That is why I don’t feel the need to keep on justifying my academic papers’ authenticity,” Ndeti added.

Ndeti says that the issue was blown out of proportion for a lack of understanding. She reiterated that as long as the Commission on University Education had cleared her, the IEBC could not question the validity of her documents.

Yesterday, the IEBC's Dispute Resolution Committee cleared her to run for the governorship

While issuing its final verdict on the case, the panel dismissed a petition challenging the validity of her degree.

Her clearance came just a day after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji directed the Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai to expedite the investigation into the academic certificates held by politicians.