Atwoli loses university degree

Cotu Secretary General Francis Atwoli will not get the honorary degree earlier expected from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.Atwoli was set to receive the Doctorate in Labour Relations degree on Friday during the institution's 12th annual graduation ceremony in recognition of the role he has played as head of the labour movement in Kenya.Although the university did not indicate reasons for rescinding the decision, the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion has revealed that Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i was a man to be accused of the move.Sossion said it was the CS who had scuttled the plan to honour the unionist after raising unknown reasons.“The decision taken by your office (constitutes) outright interference (with) the management of institutions of higher learning,” Sossion said in a letter to Matiang'i.“Documents are in the public domain indicating that the university followed due process in arriving at the decision to confer Mr Atwoli the degree,” said Mr Sossion.“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," he added.“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.”