Sakaja Degree: IEBC dispute resolution committee to give verdict on Sunday

Nairobi senator Johnston Sakaja at the Milimani law courts on Wednesday. [Edward Kiplimo,Standard]

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja will know the fate of his candidature on Sunday at 2 pm.

The tribunal made the communication during the hearing of his case that has run late into Wednesday night.

Sakaja’s candidature for Nairobi Governor has been hanging on a balance after four complaints were filed with the IEBC’s Dispute Resolution Committee challenging the credibility of the academic papers he presented to the commission for clearance.

During the hearing, his lawyers pushed for the dismissal of cases whose complainants were not present in court.

Three out of the four complaints who had lodged a case against the first-term senator have been dismissed.

IEBC's Dispute Resolution Committee sitting at Milimani Law Courts reached the decision after the three complainants who filed the petitions failed to appear before the panel Wednesday.

Elizabeth Nzisa, Evans Kaita and Alex Abere wanted the Committee to revoke Sakaja's clearance to vie for the Nairobi governor seat on grounds that he lacks the requisite academic qualifications to contest for the seat.

Moreover, the tribunal expunged the new affidavit meaning it will not consider the letter by the Commission on University Education (CUE) revoking Sakaja’s degree.

While being cleared, Sakaja, who had on previous occasions stated that he was an alumnus of the University of Nairobi, presented a degree from Ugandan-based TEAM University.

Yesterday, CUE revoked its recognition of Sakaja’s degree stating that it had received information and material about the authenticity of the degree that he presented from Team University.

“Consequently, in accordance with the CUE recognition procedures, we hereby revoke the recognition of your degree – Bachelor of Science in Management (external) from the aforementioned university,” wrote CUE Chairman Chacha Nyaigotti.

A day later, Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja filed a case before the High Court challenging revocation of his degree from the Ugandan University, Team.

Sakaja has argued that CUE revoked the degree for political purposes and in mischief.

He wants the court to quash the commission’s decision and bar the IEBC from striking him out of the list of governor aspirants.