EACC Goes After Top University of Nairobi Official With Fake Degree.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has requested the University of Nairobi (UoN) Council to take administrative action against a high-ranking official allegedly hired using an unaccredited degree.
In a letter addressed to the council chairman, Amukowa Anangwe, EACC Chief Executive Twalib Mbarak stated that investigations had been completed into the hiring of Brian Ouma, who has served as Acting Chief Operations Officer (COO) at UoN since 2021.
Mbarak highlighted that the COO position itself is irregular, as the council created it without updating statutory requirements to align with the university’s charter, as mandated by the Universities Act of 2012.
The Employment and Labour Relations Court had previously nullified an advertisement by the UoN Council, which aimed to formalize the COO role along with 22 other positions.
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The position had been slated at Job Group 17, equal to that of a deputy vice-chancellor, prompting opposition from the Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU), which initiated the legal case.
Unrecognized Academic Credentials
Investigations revealed that Ouma holds a Bachelor of Philosophy degree from Apostles of Jesus Philosophicum Major Seminary in Lang’ata, Nairobi County.
Although this seminary is linked with the Pontifical Urbaniana University (PUU) in Rome, Italy, it is not listed as an accredited institution by Kenya’s Commission for University Education (CUE).
Further findings indicated that Ouma scored a mean grade of C- in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), which does not meet the required qualifications for direct university admission in Kenya.
Under Rule 14 of the Universities (Establishment of Universities) (Standardisation, Accreditation and Supervision) Rules, 1989 [L.N. 56/1989, L.N. 160/2002], PUU was confirmed by CUE to lack accreditation within Kenya.
Consequently, degrees issued by PUU are not recognized for academic or professional purposes in the country.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Official’s Position | Acting Chief Operations Officer, University of Nairobi |
| Degree Held | Bachelor of Philosophy from Apostles of Jesus Philosophicum Major Seminary |
| Degree Affiliation | Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome, Italy |
| Accreditation Status | Not recognized by Kenya’s Commission for University Education (CUE) |
| Qualifications Issue | KCSE grade C- (below direct entry requirement for Kenyan universities) |
Series of Administrative Conflicts
The COO position has sparked prior administrative conflicts. Former Vice Chancellor Stephen Kiama initially revoked Ouma’s acting COO appointment after the court’s ruling against the position.
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Days later, however, the council led by Prof. Anangwe sent Prof. Kiama on leave, though he refused to comply.
The standoff concluded on September 27, 2024, when the council ultimately terminated Prof. Kiama’s contract, adding to the ongoing leadership disputes within the university.
EACC Goes After Top University of Nairobi Official With Fake Degree.
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