Nairobi senator Johnson Sakaja sparked controversy last week after presenting a degree from Uganda to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for clearance ahead of the August polls.
Sakaja, who is eyeing the Nairobi governor seat, has often claimed he graduated with a degree in Actuarial Science from the University of Nairobi.
Sakaja papers under scrutiny
Prior to his clearance by IEBC, the legislator’s academic papers had been a subject of discussion online as reports emerged that he never graduated from the Nairobi-based institution.
There were several claims that the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party candidate didn’t complete his Actuarial Science degree and as such did not qualify to vie as governor.
But to the surprise of his critics, the aspirant on June 7, 2022, received a green light from the electoral body to vie in the polls slated for August 9.
It has emerged that Sakaja was cleared after presenting a Management degree from Team University in Uganda.
The revelations add to a growing list of inconsistencies regarding the lawmaker’s academic papers.
In a past interview with Kenyan rapper Nyashinski, Sakaja said he has never pursued education abroad.
In a video uploaded to Nyashinski’s Youtube channel in September 2020, the ‘Super Senator’ said he schooled locally, from primary all the way up to university.
“Mimi sijawahi toka Kenya in terms of education. Education yangu yote ilikua hapa (I have never schooled outside Kenya),” Sakaja responded to a question posed by the singer on where he proceeded for further education.
Two years later, the statement has come to haunt the candidate.
Meanwhile, the University of Nairobi has confirmed that Sakaja is yet to complete his studies.
UoN communications director John Orindi said that the Senator was admitted to the university on a module two programme in 2003.
“It is true Sakaja was admitted to the university and was pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science, studied from first year up to fourth year, but is yet to graduate,” he said.
