• In a letter addressed to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati, CUE Chief Executive Mwenda Ntarangwi cited four reasons behind the revocation.
• First, that Bachelor of Science in Management (External) course never existed at Uganda's Team University at the time Sakaja claims he studied and graduated from the university.
Image: JOHNSON SAKAJA.FACEBOOK
The Commission for University Education on Thursday revoked for the second time Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja's degree recognition certificate throwing his gubernatorial bid in limbo once again.
CUE had on June 6, 2022 recognised the document as valid but reverted the decision upon receiving information that the degeree was not legitimate.
The commission on June 22 withdrew the revocation letter to pave way for investigations whose verdict it rendered on Thursday that Sakaja's degree is ineligible for recognition and it thus stands revoked.
In a letter addressed to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati, CUE Chief Executive Mwenda Ntarangwi cited four reasons behind the revocation.
First, that Bachelor of Science in Management (External) course never existed at Uganda's Team University at the time Sakaja claims he studied and graduated from the university.
Ntarangwi said the National Council of Higher Education (NCHE) had by October 21, 2016 - Sakaja's alleged graduation date - not accredited Team University to offer such a degree.
"Team University is accredited to offer Bachelor of Science in Management not Bachelor of Science in Management (External)," Ntarangwi said.
"Further the communication from NCHE communicated that the Team University had confirmed that Sakaja had enrolled for a Bachelor of Science in Management. No reference was made to Bachelor of Science in Management (External)."
Ntarangwi further said Bachelor of Science in Management (External) contravenes the nomenclature for naming university degrees.
He said according to Universities Standards Guidelines 2014, Bachelor of Science in Management (External) is not Bachelor of Science in Management.
The CEO said the guidelines provide that "academic programmes titles shall adopt universal nomenclature for similar programmes and shall be short, concise and descriptive of its overall content."
Ntarangwi explained that in 2017, Sakaja stated in his official declaration while vying for the position of Senator that the only higher education qualification he held was a degree from the university of Nairobi.
"There was no declaration made pertaining to Team University."
Ntarangwi said the University of Nairobi wrote to CUE confirming that Sakaja enrolled at the university in 2003 for a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science but he never completed his studies.
The final reason behind the revocation of Sakaja's Team degree is the lack of proof from either the Senator himself, the National Council of Higher Education or Team University that he studied at the university.
"Failure to submit even the most basic evidence of study and the process of earning a degree inevitably renders the degree certificate insufficient to prove that Sakaja studied either physically of through distance learning and that he holds an academic degree," Ntarangwi said.
CUE had asked Sakaja to submit as evidence of study the letter of admission from Team University, course units and dates studied, transcripts, fee payment receipts, names of lecturers who taught him, graduation booklet and any communication between him and university staff concerning his studies.
"Despite being granted opportunity to make written or oral representations on the matter on June 25 and 26, he disregarded, refused, and or ignored both the request to provide information and the opportunity to exercise his right to be heard during the further investigation," Ntarangwi said.
Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji is on Friday, July 1, 2022 expected to receive a report from the police on the legality of academic papers of aspirants whose qualifications were brought to question during the clearance phase by the IEBC.
Haji ordered the scrutiny on June 18 and asked the police to extend the probe to entities that may have aided the issuance of bogus degree certificates to aspirants.
Haji said if proven, such acts are against the Elections Act, Election Offences Act, the Leadership Integrity Act, and the Anti-corruption and Economic Crimes Act.
Should the DCI probe indict Sakaja for wrongdoing, his goose may as well be cooked and his gubernatorial ambition buried, at least until 2027 when fresh general elections will be held.
This is because despite him having room to seek redress at the court, the move may be inconsequential as the IEBC may have already printed ballot papers for the August 9 polls.
Sakaja is seeking the governor seat on a UDA ticket at the election.