A legal battle over the academic qualifications of Kimilili Member of Parliament Didmus Barasa has intensified after his legal team demanded Ksh100 million in damages from the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) over allegedly defamatory social media publications.
In a demand letter dated September 21, 2026, attorneys Danstan Omari, Shadrack Wambui, and Jeff Kangethe accused COFEK of launching a campaign to tarnish the lawmaker’s character through posts published between September 14 and September 21, 2026.
The legal team issued a strict two-hour ultimatum to COFEK upon receipt of the letter to retract and delete all publications regarding the MP across their social media handles or face immediate court action.
Disputing Allegations and Clarifying Academic Record
Alongside the demand letter, Barasa filed a replying affidavit in court to directly address COFEK’s suit, which questioned the legitimacy and speed of his academic progression toward a doctorate degree.
The lawmaker refuted widely circulated claims that he studied engineering at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), stating that he never attended the institution.
To clarify his educational journey, Barasa detailed a clear progression through accredited Kenyan universities:
He says he completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Administration at Mount Kenya University in 2021 before earning a Master of Arts in Public Administration and Management (Public Policy) from the same institution in 2022.
Following his master’s degree, Murang’a University of Technology granted him provisional admission to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programme in Public Administration in January 2023.
Barasa outlined the thorough academic steps he undertook during his doctoral studies, including presenting his concept paper, defending his research proposal, analyzing data, presenting seminars and journal articles, and successfully passing his final oral thesis defense.
He supported his claims by citing an official letter from Murang’a University’s Directorate of Postgraduate Studies dated June 16, 2026, which confirmed that he had satisfied all academic requirements for the award of a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration, pending formal conferment at the university’s next graduation ceremony.
Barasa maintains that COFEK built its court challenge on unverified social media chatter and superficial inconsistencies rather than examining his official academic files.
His legal representatives warned that if COFEK fails to comply with the retraction demand and the Ksh100 million compensation payout, they will file a defamation lawsuit without further notice.