'I was too shy to go back to class’: Sakaja on why he did not finish UoN degree

Embattled Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja has acknowledged that he, indeed, did not finish the course he was pursuing at the University of Nairobi hence did not graduate with a degree from the said institution.

According to Sakaja, he was forced to take a sabbatical from the institution after his forth year into the Actuarial Science course due to lack of school fees.

He hence stated that he took the break as he tried to find his way around the city’s workforce and eventually stumbled into politics from where he was able to make something of himself.

He however says he will return and sit for the remaining units and acquire his degree from the university, eventually.

“By the time I was now able to go back, I was too embarrassed and shy to go back to class. And that’s something I’ll complete, I’ll finish it, through 3 or 4 units. But there is no law that says you must bring a degree from the University of Nairobi,” Sakaja said in a Friday morning interview on Spice FM.

The lawmaker further stated that he, during almost the same period, he decided to enroll into Team University in Uganda as a student on distance learning.

He maintained that the degree he acquired from the institution and which he presented for clearance to vie for the Nairobi Governor’s seat is valid and has been approved by all relevant bodies.

He hence accused the Commission for University Education (CUE) Chairman Chacha Nyaigotti of bowing to political pressure from certain quarters by revoking the recognition of the degree.

“I made the decision to pursue this program as an external student, on distant learning, and I did it slowly from 2012 and I finished,” he said.

“The requirement to run for governor is you must have a degree. I have a degree, I took it, they accepted and accredited it. I didn’t go there with a newspaper, I went with a certificate and transcripts and everything.”

He added: “That process (revocation) is really just meant to slow me down…but I understand the game, and without going into too much detail because it’s in court, it’s really a political thing that’s happening. I have the qualifications to run for governor of Nairobi. And not just the qualifications, I have the passion, the will, the competence, the experience to actually take our city to the next level.”