NAIROBI, Kenya — Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has disputed the academic credentials of Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, saying he was never a student at the university and was not awarded a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering in 2008.
In a letter dated September 14, 2026, JKUAT Registrar Academic Affairs Dr Aggrey Wanyama told the Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) that Barasa’s name does not appear in the university’s student or alumni records.
The university also said it did not hold a graduation ceremony in May 2008, casting further doubt on the certificate attributed to it.
JKUAT Says Certificate Is Not Genuine
JKUAT said the Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering certificate presented in Barasa’s name was “NOT GENUINE.”
“His name doesn’t appear on our alumni records, and JKUAT did not have a graduation in May 2008. His certificate for Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Programme is therefore ‘NOT GENUINE,’” Wanyama said.
The university’s position directly contradicts the purported qualification and raises questions over how the certificate was obtained and presented.
JKUAT, however, did not in the letter determine who produced or presented the disputed document.
EACC and EBK Had Previously Been Notified
JKUAT said the issue had previously been brought to the attention of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK).
According to Wanyama, the university had already provided both institutions with information concerning the legitimacy of Barasa’s purported academic qualification.
“This matter has previously been investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), and the same information was communicated to both organisations,” he said.
JKUAT said it had communicated its findings to the two institutions for consideration and any necessary action.
Parliamentary Records List Different Qualifications
The current National Assembly profile for Barasa does not list a JKUAT Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.
Instead, Parliament’s official profile lists him as having obtained a Diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Kenya Power & Lighting Training School, now the Institute of Energy Studies, between 2001 and 2004.
It also lists a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from Mount Kenya University, obtained between 2017 and 2021, as well as a Master of Arts in Public Administration and Management and a Graduate Diploma in Project Management from the same university.
The parliamentary profile further lists Barasa as an EBK Graduate Engineer, with registration number B11528.
Barasa Has Previously Faced Qualification Questions
Questions over Barasa’s academic and professional qualifications have previously been raised publicly.
In 2022, Barasa challenged an EACC investigation in the High Court. The case, Barasa v Ethics & Anti-Corruption Commission & another [2022] KEHC 633 (KLR), concerned an EACC letter and further investigation relating to his qualifications.
Earlier reporting had also raised discrepancies between qualifications and employment information appearing in different records attributed to the MP.
The latest JKUAT letter now provides a formal institutional position specifically concerning the alleged 2008 Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree.
EACC, EBK Face Fresh Questions
JKUAT’s latest communication places the focus on the steps taken by EACC and EBK after receiving information from the university.
The institution says both bodies were previously informed about the status of the disputed qualification.
The letter does not state what action, if any, EACC or EBK subsequently took, nor does it disclose the outcome of any previous investigations.
It also does not establish whether Barasa personally fabricated, altered or knowingly used the disputed certificate.
Those questions would require separate findings by the relevant investigative, regulatory or judicial authorities.
