COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli's Degree Cancelled

The Central Organisation for Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli will not receive an honorary degree from the Masinde Muliro University on Friday as was earlier scheduled.

The university has reportedly scrapped off the decision to give Mr Atwoli the Doctorate in Labour Relations degree without citing any specific reason.

According to the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary General Wilson Sossion, Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i allegedly instructed the university to do so.

Mr Sossion has further written to the CS pointing out that the trade unionist was honoured in compliance with the outlined procedure.

[caption caption="KNUT Secretary General Wilson Sossion"][/caption]

"The decision taken by your office (constitutes) outright interference (with) the management of institutions of higher learning.

"Documents are in the public domain indicating that the university followed due process in arriving at the decision to confer Mr Atwoli the degree," Sossion's letter read in part.

The KNUT official has also condemned the action as an act of tampering with the autonomy of the tertiary institution.

"It is really disturbing for the Ministry of Education, which is charged with the responsibility of protecting educational institutions’ (right) to operate independently, to interfere with the day-to-day running of universities.

"I post my disappointment at the move taken by (CS Matiang’i) to cancel the scheduled conferment of the award to Mr Atwoli. In the same breath, I join other Kenyans...to demand...that Mr Atwoli be honoured as approved by the university council and Senate come December 15," the letter outlined.

On his part, Mr Atwoli has expressed disappointment in the withdrawal stating: "The university senate decided to pick me for the award. I was excited when I received the communication but the university has been forced to cancel the plan."

Dr Matiang'i, who is also the acting Interior CS, is on the spot after an audit report revealed that the ministry lost close to Sh1.5 Billion through clerical errors.

[caption caption="Education CS Fred Matiang'i"][/caption]