There was drama yesterday when Meru Senator Mithika Linturi tried to forcefully eject his wife Mary Keitany from their house in Runda. However, after his plans failed on the arrival of police, the legislator has got another reason to smile.
Linturi who has been facing criticism over his academic credentials will finally acquire a law degree from the University of Nairobi during the graduation on Friday.
The institution deregistered the lawmaker as a law student in November last year, on claims that he presented fake papers to secure admission. He was to graduate on December 22 that year and join the masters class.
UoN confirmed on Thursday that Mr Linturi will graduate alongside Deputy President William Ruto, Devolution Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa and Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu.
After the deregistration, Senator Linturi sued the university, accusing it of participating in political witch-hunt spearheaded by his opponents, whom he named as former Meru Governor Peter Munya and a Mr Milton Mugambi Imanyara.
“It was illegal, unreasonable and an utter show of bad faith for the university to deregister Mr Linturi without conducting its own independent investigations or informing him at the very least so as to afford him the right to be heard,” said his lawyer Tom Ojienda said in the suit filed at the High Court.
Mr Linturi also claimed that MM Gitonga Advocates wrote a letter on May 17 to the university, demanding his admission records. The law firm accused him of falsifying his KCSE exam results.
The lawmaker further claimed that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission summoned him on the matter, but that before he could appear, it said it had already conclusively investigated the allegations,.
The battle led to a ruling in May by Judge George Odunga, who ordered UoN to readmit Linturi. The EACC said it would appeal.
About 10,000 students will graduate from the university on its 60th ceremony on Friday.
Mr Ruto will acquire a doctorate degree while Mr Wamalwa and Justice Mwilu will get master’s degrees in law.