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UoN de-registers Senator Linturi over fake papers

Capital FM News has reliably established that the decision was taken by the University Senate following a thorough investigation which confirmed that the papers he presented on admission were not genuine/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 30 – The University of Nairobi has de-registered Meru Senator Mithika Linturi for presenting fake papers to enrol for a degree certificate.

Capital FM News has reliably established that the decision was taken by the University Senate following intensive investigations which confirmed that the papers he presented on admission were not genuine.

A senior official at the Ministry of Education confirmed to us that the investigation was jointly undertaken with the Commission for University Education (CUE) following complaints from several people – including his political opponents.

Linturi is just one of the many casualties to face the wrath of the CUE which is implementing tough measures outlined by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology through the Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi who is streamlining the sector.

The University of Nairobi is on record as having written to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on May 30, 2017 denying that Linturi had graduated from the School of Business in 2001.

Responding to an inquest letter from the EACC which had been written on May 24, Evanson Mbuva, a Senior Assistant Registrar (Examination) at the university said Linturi had not registered for a Bachelor of Commerce.

Just a week ago, November 22, the High Court sitting in Meru ordered the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to furnish a petitioner challenging Linturi’s victory in the August 8 General Election with the Senator’s academic papers outlining his qualifications.

Judge Ann Ong’injo ordered IEBC’s County Manager (Meru) Samuel Gichichi to make available the certificates after a successful application by lawyer Mugambi Imanyara – the petitioner.

While issuing the order, Judge Ong’injo dismissed submissions by Linturi’s lawyer that the application would offend the principle of sub-judice in relation to a separate case the EACC had filed against the lawmaker.

“The issue whether the petitioner wants to use certified copies of academic certificates to prove criminal liability is a matter that should be dealt with during the hearing,” Judge Ong’injo ruled.

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The Education CS extensively referred to cases of irregularly acquired degree certificates on Thursday when he opened a day-long validation workshop for the Kenya National Qualifications Framework (KNQF) draft regulations at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) in Nairobi.

During his speech at the KICD, Matiangi said the new framework would streamline higher learning in the country and put to rest the abuse of academic certificates.

“In one recent case, we have gone through hell trying to establish if an individual actually held a degree he purported to have been holding,” Matiangi said in reference to the clearance of politicians for the August General Election.

“By the time we got a response from the country where the individual said he schooled we were actually told that the institution the individual claimed to have studied was not a degree awarding institution at the time he claimed to have attended,” the CS told the workshop.

The new framework will also put in place guidelines for students transiting form diploma programmes into degree courses by allowing them to start as second or third-year students based on a credit transfer programme.

According to Matiangi, the period within which diplomas are to be undertaken will also be standardized.

“The gross abuse of the clause in our statutes that one needs to have a C plus or an equivalent to join a degree programme is what got us into the mess we find ourselves. That equivalent is not standardized. It is known what it is supposed to be.”

Cases of varying periods within which diploma courses are done will be put to an end, Matiangi said.

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