Kampala University wants Mombasa governor papers probe blocked

By Andante Okanya

Kampala University has petitioned the High Court in Kampala to block any further probe into the academic papers of Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho, saying his degree was genuinely obtained at the university.

The petition was filed on January 24 at the civil division of the court through Katuntu and Company Advocates.

The university asserts that political opponents of the Kenyan politician are misleading the Uganda Police into opening a fresh probe.

Government’s chief legal advisor the Attorney General (AG) is listed as the respondent. Last year on February 28, Joho was awarded a Bachelor of Business Administration Business Administration degree

Last year in August, a former student at Makerere University who was the leader of the Kenya  Students Association in Uganda Silas Make Otuke, petitioned court in Mombasa challenging Joho’s election on grounds his degree was ‘fake’.

The university states that the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) cleared Joho’s documents.

Last year on December 5, NCHE wrote to the Education and Sports ministry, saying its probe findings showed that Joho fulfilled requirements to obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from 2009 to 2013.

The petition is supported by the affidavit of the university’s founding vice chancellor Prof. Badru Kateregga, who states that the fresh probe has dented the university’s reputation and caused anxiety at the institution.

Kateregga alleges that the Police “mode of executing its investigations is disruptive” of the university’s activities, business prospects, growth and reputation.

The university has lodged an application for a temporary restraining order to block purported Police raids into the university premises, pending hearing of the main application for judicial review. Its hearing date is yet to be fixed.

The case file is allocated to Justice Elizabeth Musoke.

Joho is the organising secretary of the senior member of the Raila Odinga-led Orange Democratic Movement(ODM).

Prior to becoming Governor in 2013, he was the MP for Kisauni Constituency and Assistant Transport minister.