Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja’s short stay in power now hangs in the balance after Kenyatta University (KU) disowned him saying he had never studied at the institution.
One of the key constitutional requirements for one to hold the office of Governor is to be a holder of a degree from a University recognized in Kenya.
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Samboja is said to have graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 2009.
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However KU, said there are no records to indicate that he was a student at the institution.
The university said their internal search revealed that Mr Samboja had not applied for, obtained admission or attended the institution as a student for a certificate, diploma and degree in project management, human resource management and Bachelor of Commerce respectively.
KU legal officer Aaron Tanui in an affidavit filed in court, revealed thaty Samboja did not graduate from the institution with a degree, diploma or certificate as per the copies sent to the university by EACC adding that the certificates were fake.
He said the information also indicated that the Governor had applied to be admitted for a Master of Business Administration degree using certificates from Costa Rica.
Samboja had last month gone to court to stop investigations into his academic papers after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) filed a case questioning his qualifications.
EACC said it had investigated and found out that Samboja, a former journalist had forged his academic papers.
In August, a voter Mr Armstrong Mwandoo Kiwoi unsuccessfully sought for conservatory orders to block Mr Samboja from being inaugurated pending hearing and determination of his application and petition.
Kiwoi claimed that the governor-elect was ineligible because he had not met educational and ethical qualifications.
On Monday, Justice Eric Ogola directed all parties who include the EACC and the Attorney General to file their responses within 14 days and directed that a pre-trial be conducted on October 13 in Voi.