Sakaja saga: Senator insists he has a degree

Senator Johnson Sakaja on the corridors of Milimani Law Courts. [Denish Ochieng', Standard]

Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja denied a petition challenging his academic records was addressed to him but affirmed that he obtained his degree from a university in Uganda.

Replying to a petition filed by Dennis Wahome before the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Dispute Tribunal committee, Sakaja said he graduated from Teams University in October 21, 2016 and is eligible to vie for governor seat.

He told the tribunal, sitting at the Milimani Law Courts in Nairobi, that the petitioner who submitted a graduation booklet for the occasion before the tribunal omitted the page that had his name and that petition is against one Sakaja Koskei Johnson but he is Sakaja Johnson Arthur.

“Having been premised on flawed particulars and defective identity, the complaint herein has miserably failed and fatally fallen on its own sword. May its soul rest in peace,” Sakaja prayed in his affidavit.

He said the complaint was filed way out of the statutory timeframe, that the complaint has not been filed with his nominating party, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and that the claims were all baseless.

The Nairobi Senator said he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Management, that the Ugandan university is recognised in Kenya, and that the university affirmed the degree to the authorities in his favour.

“The complaints point to a discernible case of proxy litigation by my competitors for the Office of the Governor, Nairobi County, with the aim of confining me within the corridors of justice, as they enjoy a field day on the campaign trail,” he said.

The reply came as it emerged that the complainant relied on letters from the University of Nairobi and St Lawrence University of Uganda, both which said they never conferred any academic degrees on him.

“We disassociate ourselves from such an act. St Lawrence University has a tight awarding system that would not easily succumb to such malpractices though forging is a possible action,” St Laurence’s letter attached to Wahome’s affidavit read.

Wahome claimed only six people graduated with Sakaja’s degree at the time he claims to have graduated.

He said Sakaja was not among them, that he only traveled to Uganda once during the time of his schooling, and that the six never saw him either physically or virtually.

Wahome also tabled evidence showing that when Sakaja was cleared to run the position of senator in 2017, he listed qualification attained as a degree from the University of Nairobi.  

“The respondent has demonstrated fraud and forgeries that have the potential to erode the public confidence in and diminish the integrity of qualifications in Uganda and Kenyan degrees both regionally as well as globally,” said Wahome.

The degree certificate from Teams University submitted before the tribunal shows Sakaja graduated with a Second Class with honours, Upper Division and “was admitted to the degree at Team University congregation held on October 21, 2016.”

Wahome also wants orders recommending the institution of criminal proceedings against Sakaja for fraud and forgery.

But the senator argues the application is a vendetta and smear campaign against him and it’s an absolute abuse of legal process.

“The complainant’s wild allegations to the effect that I did not graduate from Team University are factually hollow and unfounded, the institution is duly recognised by the Republic of Uganda and by convention in Kenya,” said Sakaja in his reply.

Hearings continue today.