Revealed: UoN has listed Sakaja as alumnus on official website

A screenshot of the post.

Photo credit: Courtesy

The controversy over the graduation of Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja from the University of Nairobi continues to intensify even as it emerged that the University owns him as an alumnus.

On the official university website, Faculty of Science and Technology (sciencetechnology.uonbi.ac.ke/alumni), UoN has listed Mr Sakaja among nine "notable alumni" in political and top government positions.

“Sakaja Johnson (born 2 February 1985) is the current Senator of Nairobi County. He joined (the) University of Nairobi, where he graduated with a degree in Actuarial Science. At UON he, Sakaja set up a financial consultancy firm, Arthur Johnson Consultants, during his fourth year in campus,” reads the post on the UoN website.

The university has also embedded Mr Sakaja’s photo in the post. His name is listed as number six.

Others listed on the alumni list from the same faculty are Deputy President Dr William Ruto, Energy and Petroleum Principal Secretary Mr Andrew Nganga, State Department for Fisheries and Blue Economy PS Prof Japheth Ntiba, Samburu West MP Dr Simeon Lesirma, former Vice Chancellor Moi University Prof Richard Mibey, founding director of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) Prof Thomas Risley Odhiambo, former Vice President the late Prof George Saitoti and Machakos University Vice-Chancellor Prof Irungu Lucy.

Major concerns

The listing of Mr Sakaja as an alumnus has raised major concerns as Kenyans question how his name made it to the list if he was yet to graduate.

Last week, the University confirmed that Mr Sakaja indeed enrolled in the university but was yet to complete a “some courses”. The university did not reveal the courses he is yet to complete.

The university also published a public notice post on its social media platforms warning that Mr Sakaja should not present a fake academic paper purporting to have been acquired at the university as he has yet to complete his studies.

“The university earlier issued a statement on that matter and was clear that the person in question did not complete his studies,” said the university in the post.

On May 31, UoN Deputy Vice-Chancellor Academic Affairs Prof Julius Ogeng’o in a verification letter to the Director of Criminal Investigations(DCI), attached Mr Sakaja’s academic transcripts saying they are incomplete as they have not been signed by the university.

Prof Ogeng’o added that the records available indicate that he did not complete his studies and there was no record of graduation.

“He undertook the programme, Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science, at University for four years from 2003/2004 to 2007/2008,” said Prof Ogeng’o.

During his Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) clearance, Mr Sakaja presented a degree certificate and transcripts from the Team University in Uganda.

According to the university, Mr Sakaja pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and graduated on October 21, 2016.