Erastus Njoka reads malice in EACC probe on his academic papers

It has been one hell of a week for Chuka University Vice-Chancellor Erastus Njoka.

Having spent most of his adult life in the search and creation of knowledge, the don has been forced to submit himself to the indignity of his academic achievements being dragged through the mud and his identity doubted.

The don was on Wednesday forced to appear before the Ethics and Anti -Corruption Commission (EACC) regional office in Isiolo not only to defend the validity of his academic papers, but also to prove his true identity, his official name Erastus Nyaga Njoka.

In an interview with Nation.Africa on Friday, Prof Njoka said his tormentors want everything about him, including his official name, investigated, as part of what he describes political witch-hunt.

“The anonymous person, in the letter which I was not shown, is taking much of the detectives’ official time in demanding they prove my official name, confirm documents I used to go to Russia, are also suggesting that I neither travelled to Russia for studies nor graduated in the said universities in Russia,” Prof Njoka said during the interview.

The probe by EACC has triggered a political storm in Tharaka-Nithi County with a section of political leadership coming out to defend the don in what they describe as humiliation and linking his tribulations to the 2022 General Election.

Seal of approval

In a post on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Senator Kithure Kindiki cast doubt on the probe. He described the investigations as primitive, petty and malicious attack not only personality of Prof Njoka but also on the pride of the county. He said that the EACC should have been satisfied after the Commission for University Education gave the don’s credentials a seal of approval.

“It demoralises and shakes the confidence of thousands of students from all-over Kenya who continue to graduate from Chuka University which Prof Njoka has ably led for more than a decade,” he argued in his post.

“That Prof Njoka has decided to try his luck in politics should not be the excuse for this extreme malice,” he added.

“We cannot allow evil people to destroy the reputation of one of our finest sons and of Chuka University on the basis of juvenile politics.”

When he appeared before the EACC, Professor Njoka was told that he was being subjected to investigations on account of a letter of complaint authored by an anonymous source.  

“My effort to establish the identity of my accusers hasn’t borne fruits but I believe in the nick of time they will be known,” he said on Friday.

Prof Njoka was flanked by Dr Bernard Ogola and Engineer Wilfred Gitari, both who were separately part of his life at different times of his academic journey.

While Dr Ogola travelled with the professor in the same plane to Moscow for studies, Mr Gitari was his classmate at Nkubu High School between 1980 and 1981.

“I met Prof Njoka in 1980 at Nkubu High School. A very hard working individual who was studying chemistry, biology and geography as core subjects. We shared the same dormitory, were good friends and studied together. We shared a lot in chemistry being the common core subject,” Eng. Gitari said, expressing his shock at the allegations of fake academic identity papers.

“I hosted Njoka in my hostel at University of Nairobi when he was attending interview for the Soviet Union scholarships.

Governor seat

Prof Njoka’s tribulations started in the late 2019 when he received delegation of Tharaka-Nithi residents drawn from all the sub counties who implored on him to vie for the county’s governor seat in 2022 General Election.

“I also received two goats which is usually a sign of good will. The elders and youths cited poor leadership and corruption as an obstruction to Tharaka-Nithi’s transformation,” Prof Njoka said.

He did not give the delegation a direct answer to their request. He told them that he was focused on his work at the university but he would consider their request when the time comes.

The don claimed that a section of the county’s top leadership felt threatened by the delegation and vowed to bring him down. He claimed that the leaders went on the overdrive, declaring to all those who cared to listen that “those who are teaching should remain in class’ and that ‘some pretenders will never be cleared to vie.’

“In their intent to destroy me, they might have imagined that creating doubt in my academic qualification was the best strategy in their scheme for political witch-hunt,” he said, adding that in the anonymous complaint to the anti-graft agency, the author claimed that Erastus Nyaga Njoka was also not his real name.

“Such is the extent these faceless individuals are willing to go in this malicious attack.”

In his statement to the EACC, Prof Njoka said he did his ‘O’ level exams in 1979 at Ciakago High School where he obtained Division Two. He later joined ‘A’ Level at Nkubu High School in 1980 and did his Form Six examinations and attained two principal passes and two

Soviet Union scholarships

The minimum qualification for university admission (In Kenya and abroad) was two principals and one subsidiary. He then applied for Soviet Union scholarships.

“I was interviewed and awarded the scholarship in 1984. The scholarship covered both Bachelors and Master’s degrees. After studying for six years (1984-1990), I was awarded with a Master’s Degree with Honours in Animal Production.

He insists that he was among the top students in the university with his name still inscribed in the university’s roll of honour.

“I encourage everyone to visit the university and check,” he said, adding that he was also the chairman of the association of Kenyan students studying in Moscow, while in Russia.

He was allowed to join a PhD programme in Animal Production Technology in 1993. Upon completion in 1994, he was interviewed and recruited for the position of a lecturer where he presented all his academic papers which were vetted by the Egerton University Council.