The scandal surrounding Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja’s academic credentials has taken a new turn after Team University, the institution from which the lawmaker claims to have received a degree, filed an injunction to prevent the Ugandan government from investigating the matter.
The Kampala-based University, which is already being investigated by the Ugandan Council for Higher Education (NCHE), has filed two cases at the Kampala High Court, which will be heard today afternoon.
Mr Sakaja, who is running for governor in Nairobi, is being investigated on suspicion of forging his degree.
He is also defending himself in the High Court after the IEBC Dispute Resolutions Committee declined to remove him from the race after the legality of his degree was called into question.
This comes after the Commission for University Education (CUE) rescinded an earlier recognition it had given to the degree Sakaja had presented for approval in order to run for governor.
The Nairobi senator is running on the ticket of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Team University has now asked Justice Jamson Karemani of the High Court in Kampala to issue a restraining order preventing the NCHE from investigating the degree it claims to have awarded the senator.
“A temporary injunction be issued restraining the respondent from investigating, inquiring into or in any other way interfering with the qualifications awarded to the applicant,” says the cause list on the Judiciary’s website in Uganda on the cases set to be heard today.
Interestingly, NCHE had already recused itself from the investigation in order to allow the Inspectorate of Government (IG) to complete its own investigation.
Mr. Sakaja claims to have earned a Bachelor of Science in Management (external) degree from Team University in 2016.
“NCHE commenced investigations in order to determine the authenticity of the Bachelor of Science in Management (External) degree awarded to Sakaja Johnson Arthur by Team University. However, prior to completing our investigations, the IG also commenced investigations into the same matter hence suspending our action,” NCHE executive director Prof Mary Okwakol in a letter to Kenya’s CUE.
On Monday, the UDA candidate, who has always claimed to have studied actuarial science at the University of Nairobi, stated that the voter seeking his disqualification from the governor race simply wants to humiliate him in public.
“He (the petitioner) is placing unreasonable restrictions against my candidature through institution of frivolous suits both at the IEBC Dispute Resolution Committee and in this very instant petition,” Mr Sakaja told the court.
Both cases are scheduled to be heard today in Kampala and Nairobi.
