Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's degree from the Otto von Guericke Technical University Magdeburg emerged online after Kenya Kwanza leaders raised concerns over the authenticity of his academic papers.
The certificate was shared on social media by pro-Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party bloggers and it was revealed that Raila graduated from the institution in August 1969.
The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party boss was awarded a certificate as a graduate engineer with the certificate translated to English in 2013 prior to the General Election.
However, the degree raised more questions than answers as it had glaring inconsistencies - starting with the awarding institution.
The degree indicated that it was awarded by Otto von Guericke Technical University Magdeburg - an institution that was founded in 1993. The institution was formed with the merger of three universities including the Technical University of Magdeburg which Raila attended.
"It does not make sense why the degree does not have the name of the older institution. For instance, if someone attended Kenya Polytechnic and graduated in 2005, it would be curious if their degree read the Technical University of Kenya," a local journalist told Kenyans.co.ke.
It is, however, possible that the discrepancy was because the former premier picked his certificate in 2013 when the degree requirement was introduced. This would, however, mean that Raila returned to Kenya without academic certificates - raising more questions as to how he secured a job at a university without having proof of university education.
Further, the degree shows it was awarded in the German Deomcratic Republic, also known as East Germany - a country which did not exist in 2013 as it had merged with West Germany to form the current state - the Federal Republic of Germany.
The document was also translated into English while the routine has been that candidates submit original certificates to the Commission of Higher Education which is mandated with translating and verifying them.
Raila, in his bio, explained that the degree was from the Technical School, Magdeburg which is now part of University Magdeburg)
"He received a scholarship that in 1965 sent him to the Technical School, Magdeburg (now a part of Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg) in the GDR. In 1970, he graduated with an MSc (Masters of Science) in Mechanical Engineering. He returned to Kenya in 1970." read the statement in part.
Additionally, the former Prime Minister is listed as an alumnus of the Leipzig University alongside former German chancellor Angela Markel. It was not clear what he studied at the institution.
This was in line with details of his biography which details that the former premier attended the East German university after leaving Maranda High School. However, the course he undertook was not listed.
"He went to Kisumu Union Primary School, Maranda Primary, and Maranda High School where he stayed until 1962. He spent the next two years at the Herder Institute, a part of the philological faculty at the University of Leipzig in East Germany," read the statement in part.
