“A few years ago, I discouraged a friend from accepting being part of a crowd gowned by some Univ in the U.S, in a ceremony in kampla.The last time I checked, it’s a University in the USA but most of its graduates are black!! PhD bonanza in town,” Dr. Kenneth Omona, the Principal Private Secretary – PPS – to President Yoweri Museveni tweeted Tuesday.
The comment above came Tuesday after Zoe life Theological College bestowed upon city events and marketing guru Balaam Barugahara; Apostle Grace Lubega, Ronald Balimwezo (MP, Nakawa East), the Kyabazinga of Busoga; Justice Catherine Bamugemeirwe, ex-MP Samuel Odonga Otto and Jacob Oulanyah (RIP) among others.
It is however beginning to emerge that they may have been scammed.
“For a university/institution to award an honorary doctorates, it must be offering academic doctorate degrees in those disciplines. But these institutions that sale Honorary Doctorate papers to Africans are not even recognised in those countries to even offer a bachelor’s degree. Any institution can create a website, but if you want to know whether an institution exists, you go to the regulator. In the case of Uganda, it’s National Council for Higher Education. https://unche.or.ug ;Lists all recognised education institutions in Uganda & what they offer. This is what they put on the website to dupe potential clients. Show me a link from the US accreditation body showing that this education institution exists and is accredited. None. So please let us stop promoting scams,” former Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Venansius Barymureeba says.
Jacob Eyeru, the Chairman, National Youth Council says the University does not exist.
“The Zoe life Theological College that bestowed upon Balaam, Apostle Grace, Hon. Balimwezo, The Kyabazinga, Justice Bamugemeirwe and many more notable Ugandans IS A SCAM! The college itself does not exist!” Jacob Eyeru, Chairman, National Youth Council.”
Ebyeru adds: “The only academic qualifications they offer are ‘Honorary Masters or Doctorates’. But that’s not the worst part, even the university doesn’t exist! The address it quotes is a residential building in Philadelphia! Just sad!”
According to German based Ugandan author, Rukira Kakwenza,”this University has been operating for a year & is uncredited & permanently closed.”
“That’s why they traveled all the way from the US and came to Uganda to award honorary doctorates.”
A quick Google search links so many Nigerians to the College.
The search also shows that the College has a branch in Uganda. The said branch is headed by one Apostle John Osapiri as its Rector. However, it is not listed to operate (doesn’t exist) in Uganda. In Uganda, the body in charge of higher education is the National Council of Higher Education.
Data on its website show that the Founder does not know when the College started operating.
“The school was founded some years ago by a humble and anointed servant of God, Archbishop Dr.ambrose Joseph Milner. The school has trained many tested servants of God in America. Africa and other continents of the world,” part of text on their website reads.
Research shows that honorary doctorates are being sold.
For instance, an institution in India issues a PhD certificate in 45 days at the cost of USD 1065 after a 250-page thesis is submitted.
