'Fake' PhD MPs dodge TCU
MASEMBE TAMBWE, 16th February 2010 @ 01:27, Total Comments: 9, Hits: 1103
THE Tanzania Commission for Universities has yet to receive degree document for certification from any of the alleged senior cabinet members and Members of Parliament with questionable academic qualifications.
We have not yet received any certificates for certification from any minister or member of parliament but our doors are always open, the TCU Senior Public Relations Officer, Mr Edward Mkaku, told the 'Daily News' in Dar es Salaam today.
Mr Mkaku said that the issue surrounding fake academic qualifications has been a debate for years and that it was recently fuelled by the launching of a book authored by Erick Keinerugaba who published the identities of those alleged to possess fake documents.
During a press conference held last week, the TCU Executive Secretary, Professor Mayunga Nkunya, condemned the book saying that it was an infringement to personal affairs and that TCU doesnt support the move and will never do so.
Mr Mkaku said that after the book had aroused a lot of talk, Prof Nkunya deemed it necessary to hold a press conference and issue TCUs stand on the matter and also ask those allegedly mentioned in the book to take their certificates for certification and give them the chance to respond.
The author of the book has no right to reveal whether or not a person possesses a genuine or fake doctorate degrees, which is personal and should be left at that, Mr Mkaku stressed.
He explained that the TCU procedure of certification entails that one fills a form when bringing certificates to be certified and only the person who brought the document will be given back and that the outcome is not publicised.
In another development, TCU has voiced its concern for the Speaker of the Parliament, Mr Samuel Sitta, to have cleared the Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Food Security and Cooperatives, Dr Mathayo David Mathayo, of a fake doctoral degree.
Mr Mkaku explained that though Mr Sitta can, with the authority vested on him, speak about the matter, he did not, however, have the mandate to certify whether the degree was genuine or a fake and that should be left to TCU alone.
Only TCU has been given the mandate to verify whether a degree is genuine or fake, he said.
Last year it was reported that eight senior cabinet members and Members of Parliament were among recipients of questionable academic qualifications, particularly Doctorate Degrees (PhDs), from overseas Learning Institutions that are not internationally recognised.
The report mentioned the institutions which issued the doubtful qualifications which include Washington International University based in Hawaii, Commonwealth Open University based in Caicos Virgin Island, Free States University, Ambala University in India and Almeda University, USA.
Kumbe Sita naye ni bomu kabisa; ndiye anayepiga debe hilo la digrii hiyo ya Mathayo. Mambo haya ya PHD feki yalipoanza kupamba moto mwishoni mwa mwaka 2006, mimi nilifuatilia kutafuta thesis ya bwana Mathayo pale University of the Free State lakini sikuipata. Kwa vile sikuwa na uhakika na jina alilotumia na title kamili ya thesis yenyewe basi ikawa vigumu kuipata, na jina la Mathayo Davidi halikuwamo kabisa kwenye database ya authors wao wa mwaka 2003 na 2004.
