A moment of triumph turned into a scene of chaos and despair after police officers stormed the graduation ceremony of Northwestern Christian University. A police officer declared the Northwestern Christian University’s graduation ceremony a crime scene. The ceremony, intended to honour academic success, was suddenly interrupted when authorities declared the venue a crime scene. Graduates, still wearing their caps and gowns, were instructed to stay seated as investigators thoroughly searched the area. “I want to declare this a crime scene, and anybody in a gown should remain seated until we finish all our processes,” an officer announced. What began as a moment of pride and happiness quickly turned to fear as panic set in, with police encircling the graduates. Families who had gathered to celebrate looked on in disbelief, their joyful cheers replaced by tears and prayers, hoping for a positive outcome as the situation unfolded. One after another, the graduates were gathered, led to police vehicles, and transported to Nyali Police Station for interrogation by Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) officers. Subscribe to watch new videos Why was Northwestern Christian University’s graduation raided According to the Commission for University Education (CUE), Northwestern Christian University is not a registered institution and has no authority to issue degrees in Kenya.
“We have been able to apprehend them because, according to our University Act, it is against the law to claim to be a university when you have not been granted accreditation. They did not have certificates, and that is why we had to stop this because there are many institutions, and Kenyans are unaware,” Commission for University Education (CUE) chairman Chacha Nyaigotti said. He reiterated CUE’s commitment to rooting out illegal universities and colleges, adding that they had apprehended the institution’s founders. Commission for University Education (CUE) chairman Chacha Nyaigotti addresses the press after the raid. Photo: TV 47. Source: UGC The officials explained that they had gathered enough evidence to conclude that the institution was operating illegally and that the certificates being issued were fraudulent. The arrested individuals are expected to be arraigned in court on Monday as a broader crackdown begins on institutions suspected of issuing fake degrees.
Why was CUE probing Northwestern Christian University In December 2024, the CUE initiated an investigation into Northwestern Christian University after it awarded honorary doctorates to Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi and Sirisia MP John Waluke. The degrees, conferred on December 21, recognised the MPs for their contributions to leadership, administration, and management. However, CUE’s preliminary findings revealed that the university is not an accredited institution in Kenya, rendering its credentials unrecognised locally. CUE had previously alerted the public about the university’s unaccredited status in a June 2023 advertisement, emphasising that any qualifications it issued would not be acknowledged in Kenya.
by Didacus Malowa
