National Unity Platform President Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu better known as Bobi Wine was one of hundreds who graduated from Cavendish University this Thursday.
It came as a surprise to the public when Bobi Wine announced that he was due to graduate with a Law Degree from Cavendish University, with many netizens wondering whether he had attended lectures.
However, in a social media post, Bobi Wine indicated that it has been a rigorous process and he actually failed to graduate last year!
“To the lecturers that made it hard, and eventually impossible for me to graduate last year, well you helped me get everything in place for a legit qualification. I was initially mad at you but I was wrong, you were right,” he said.
Bobi Wine first attempted to acquire a Law degree when he enrolled at International University of East Africa in 2016. He didn’t complete the course, but it is here that he met David Lewis Rubongoya who is currently the NUP Secretary General.
In fact Bobi intimated that it was Rubongoya who advised him to switch from IUEA to Cavendish.
“Dear David Lewis Rubongoya, from the first Constitutional Law lecture that you conducted in First Year 2016 at the IUEA, I knew that you would be a comrade. It was your idea to transfer from IUEA which at the time was not yet fully accredited to teach law, to Cavendish University which was already accredited, to avoid future problems about technicalities (as if you foresaw everything the way it has unfolded). I am glad that I listened and enrolled afresh. Thank you for standing with me throughout the course,” he said.
Bobi says he was inspired by fellow musician cum lawyer Silver Kyagulanyi to pursue a Law degree.
“We discussed this idea of going to law school as far back as 20 years ago while still at the MDD department at Makerere with Silver Kyagulanyi. You continued to encourage me through word and action, even when I dragged my feet for a few years. You led by example and did it. Today I have also did (sic) it!” he said.
Bobi revealed that the news of his impending graduation was received with suspicion with many doubting if he had legitimately acquired it, adding that the state machinery investigated the course of his studies in a bid to fail him.
“Recently when news came out that I was set to graduate, the usual detractors got busy and made every effort to stop me. Some people, ostensibly working for the regime and other detractors went as far as petitioning the National Council for Higher Education. NCHE officials went to the University and demanded for every document regarding my studies, including my application form, admission forms, all class attendance records, written exams, coursework of all the years and my tuition payment records! It is after a very detailed and intense investigation that I was cleared to graduate today. I don’t know if any other Ugandan student has been subjected to this before,” he said.
