Kenyans Slam Ruto For Awarding Arizona University Graduates With Certificates: "Tulikosea Wapi?"

• President William Ruto, on Saturday, December 9, awarded completion certificates to Kenyans who took online classes at Arizona University
• However, Kenyans have doubted the authenticity of the certificate, some wondering why no official of the said university attended the event
• Other Kenyans said allowing digital strategist Denis Itumbi to take centre stage makes the event a joke

Amos Khaemba, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Kenyans have trolled President William Ruto after he publicly awarded certificates of completion to graduates who enrolled in free online courses at Arizona State University last year.

What Willam Ruto said at KICC

Ruto issued the certificates during the ongoing Youth Connekt Africa Summit 2023 being held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on Saturday, December 9.

While issuing the certificates, Ruto took a chide at his critics, who never believed in his promises of free courses at the American institution.

"It didn't look real then, but today it is a reality that we have graduates with certificates from Arizona University," Ruto said.

However, a section of Kenyans have slammed the president for issuing the certificates, some suggesting it demeans the presidency.

Some wondered why no official from Arizona University attended the certificate issuance ceremony.

TUKO.co.ke looks at some of the reactions by Kenyans:

Juma

"Imaginary Arizona University online course where nobody even bothered to log in or scan that code, then graduates turn up with gowns, and Itumbi has their certificates, then they were given a mic to speak and thank the President... Tulikosea wapi?"

The Government Critic:

"Arizona University should sue these guys for impersonating them. How could Itumbi pretend to be the VC of that university and award certificates?"

Dennis Onyango:

"So Arizona University sent certificates to the State House to be distributed not even by the Minister for Education but by the whole President? These are the stuff of telenovelas."

Makau F. Muli:

"We joke too much! A graduate that is used for a bachelor's degree at minimum, not a short course. Again, this was the Arizona programme, not the government programme."

How Kenyans got Arizona scholarships

As reported earlier, during 2022's Jamhuri Day celebrations, Ruto declared that everyone present at the Nyayo Stadium would be granted a scholarship for the Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation programme from the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University.

To access the scholarship, Ruto asked the attendees to scan the QR codes near them.

"It is now time to keep the promise. There is a QR Code near you. Scan and access the scholarship now. A 16-unit course that would have cost you KSh 100,000, is now accessible to you for free, courtesy of the Innovation Jamhuri," said Ruto.