Man calls for probe on Charity Ngilu and David Musila degrees

Former Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu and Kitui Senator David Musila.

A Kitui voter is questioning the academic credentials of Senator David Musila and former Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu.

Dominic Maluki Muthui has written to the Commission for University Education (CUE) asking to be furnished with the education testimonials of the two.

Both Mr Musila and Mrs Ngilu are seeking to replace Kitui Governor Julius Malombe of Wiper party and by law are required to have an undergraduate degree.

Mr Muthui, who described himself as a voter in Kitui East Constituency, said although Ngilu graduated from St Paul's University and Musila from a community college in the United States, their academic papers may not be in order.

"The former (Ngilu) could not probably qualify for any university education having failed to meet minimum passes from her secondary education while the latter's (Musila) claims cannot possibly be correct as Bishop College, a minor community college in Texas, USA, closed shop years back," reads the letter.

The letter, dated February 27, 2017, was received on Tuesday by CUE.

Among documents Muthui is looking for is the admission criteria for students undertaking undergraduate studies at St Paul's University, and whether Ngilu met the minimum threshold for the degree programme.

He also wants the commission to verify whether Musila's degree is authentic and recognisable in Kenya.

The inquiry comes at a time when Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has initiated reforms aimed at cleaning up university education in Kenya.

Matiang'i warned that universities flouting rules face dire consequences while degrees obtained fraudulently may be recalled.

The Cabinet secretary has since put politicians with questionable papers on notice ahead of the August 8 General Election