Hassan Joho degree is genuine, says Kampala University VC

Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho earned his degree from Kampala University legitimately, the institution's Vice Chancellor has said.

Speaking to reporters in Nairobi on Sunday, Prof Badru Kateregga said Mr Joho attended the university from 2009 to 2012.

“As far as Kampala University is concerned, the degree awarded to Mr Hassan Ali Joho is bonafide, lawful and authentic. (It) was genuinely awarded and Kampala University Senate cannot and will not recall, revoke or cancel an award that it deems to be valid, authentic and genuinely awarded,” he said.

The Uganda National Council for Higher Education has doubted the validity of Mr Joho's degree.

“There was no clear evidence that academic due process was followed from admission to graduation regarding a Bachelor of Business Administration degree (Human Resource Management option) awarded to Mr Hassan Ali Joho by Kampala University,” the council said in a resolution.

NCHE has said that Mr Joho may not have been in Uganda to physically undertake studies, raising doubts about how the university awarded him the degree.

It was acting on the recommendations of a committee chaired by Mr S.H. Nsubuga, which claimed that Mr Joho “fraudulently obtained the said qualifications from Kampala University” and that he “neither qualified for admission to the degree programme nor was he subjected to the due process”.

However, Prof Kateregga questioned the Council's authority on the matter. “The law does not require them to recognise any degree. The duty of National councils is to accredit programmes, once the programmes have been accredited; the question of degree awarding is the question of university senate,” he said.

The Constitution requires a governor to be a degree holder.