KAMPALA /NAIROBI — Buffalo School of Law distinguished scholar Prof Makau Mutua has insisted that Makerere University erred by honouring Kanyan Deputy President William Ruto.
According to the institution, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni had requested them to honour Ruto through William Ruto Institute of Learning.
“Makerere University has been requested by the Office of the President of the Republic of Uganda to host The William Ruto Leadership Institute with laying of the foundation stone scheduled for Saturday, December 21, 2019, with the Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya, William Samoei arap Ruto, officiating as the chief guest starting at 10.30 am at MDD Grounds,” read a letter quoted by Daily Nation.
Dr Ruto was feted last Saturday in a ceremony President Museveni donated $100,000 towards the construction of the building.
But Mutua, who had previously opposed the move, on Sunday insisted that Ruto does not deserve to be honoured.
“Mr Ruto, you will recall, is the infamous Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya. No Kenyan university – even the most craven and debased – has ever given Mr Ruto such a sterling honour,” he argues in an opinion published by Daily Nation.
He cited Ruto’s alleged engagement in corruption, previous convictions, for instance, Muteshi land and the case against humanity at the ICC as some of the reasons he’s against the move.
“Mr Ruto is the furthest thing from these indicia. His short biography is one of a chequered public career punctuated by infamy, calumny, and an ungoverned greed for political power,” he said.
“The logical question to ask is why Makerere, a university, would name a highfalutin institute after a person whose doctorate is at the very least suspect? Doesn’t academic integrity mean anything to Makerere? Makerere should’ve done due diligence before making a damn fool of itself.”
Further, the law professor questioned the authenticity of the DP’s doctorate degree, arguing that it has a lot of controversies.
“Me thinks that Mr Ruto and his academic supervisors at the University of Nairobi have a lot of questions to answer. We need to see an audit of his programme of study to establish the authenticity, or lack thereof, of his doctorate.”
