Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) has disowned an academic qualification attributed to Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Wekesa Barasa, saying its records do not show that he ever studied at the institution or graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

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 academic or alumni records.

The university further stated that it did not hold a graduation ceremony in May 2008, contradicting the date appearing on the certificate attributed to the MP.

According to JKUAT, the certificate presented as a Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering qualification is therefore “NOT GENUINE.” The university’s position represents a direct contradiction of information contained on Barasa’s parliamentary profile, which currently lists him as having obtained a Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from JKUAT between 2001 and 2005, with Second Class Honours, Upper Division. 

JKUAT said the matter had previously been brought to the attention of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK), indicating that the issue is not a new development.

The latest revelation follows a request by COFEK seeking verification of Barasa’s academic credentials. The organisation has subsequently raised questions over what action was taken by the relevant regulatory bodies after receiving information from the university. 

The controversy now places renewed focus on the academic qualifications declared by the Kimilili MP and the processes used by public institutions to verify credentials presented by elected leaders and professionals.

Barasa’s parliamentary profile continues to list JKUAT as the institution where he obtained his engineering degree, despite the university now publicly disputing that record. 

The latest development is expected to trigger further scrutiny from regulatory and investigative agencies, particularly regarding how the disputed qualification was previously reflected in official records.

Neither the JKUAT statement nor the reports cited above establish what happened to the certificate after it was allegedly presented, or what specific action EACC and EBK took following the university’s earlier communication.