Why Health CS nominee Susan Wafula's degree is not recognised

Health Cabinet Secretary nominee Susan Nakhumicha Wafula was on Wednesday put on the spot to defend her academic qualifications and title status of 'Doctor.'

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments, Ms Wafula was referred to by Speaker Moses Wetangula as ‘Dr Wafula’, a title which led to Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa inquiring on the credibility of her documents.

The MP questioned why the Speaker referred to her as 'Dr Wafula', despite not being a certified medic and lacking the required documents including a claimed degree from a university in Turkey.

“I want her (Wafula) to clarify whether she is a doctor because after going through the copies of certificates in our files, I don’t see anything that has to do with a doctor other than a Diploma in Heath care from the Institute of Management and even the degree from Turkey is not in the file,” Ichung’wa said.

In her response, Ms Wafula reiterated that she had undertaken an online degree from EGE University in Turkey but differences in regulations and legislation between Kenya and Turkey at the time barred her from being registered as a pharmacist.

“I did a degree in Pharmacy from Turkey but I also said I did not manage to be registered by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board Board (PPB) because of the difference in regulations,” the CS designate explained.

“While I was doing that degree, I was working and was required by the PPB and the regulations in this country to do another one year-round internally, which I was not able to do because at that moment I was still working, had a life to live and other beneficiaries I had to take care of…so I wasn’t registered.”

She added: “Because of that registration I have always not placed my degree document in my folder so that questions do not arise.”

Speaking on her academic qualifications, Ms Wafula said she had first studied at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) where she trained as a Pharmaceutical Technologist and graduated in 2000.

Thereafter, she completed the degree in Turkey before undertaking another degree in Procurement and Supplies from JKUAT.