Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has declared an engineering degree certificate attributed to Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa “NOT GENUINE,” saying its records show he was never a student at the university.In a letter dated September 14, 2026,
JKUAT Registrar of 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, the date indicated on the disputed certificate.
Photo|Letter from JKUAT
“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 in the letter.
JKUAT further said the matter had previously been investigated by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), with the university saying its findings had been communicated to both institutions.
The development has renewed scrutiny of Barasa’s academic credentials, with reports noting inconsistencies between information previously contained in official profiles and the latest position from JKUAT.
The university’s statement specifically concerns the Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering certificate attributed to Barasa. It does not, by itself, establish the validity or otherwise of his other academic qualifications.The latest development follows renewed public attention to the MP’s academic history and calls for verification of qualifications presented in official records.