Deputy Police Boss Masengeli Sues USIU Over Blocked PhD Graduation

Kenya’s Deputy Inspector General of Police, Gilbert Masengeli, has taken legal action against the United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa), seeking High Court orders to compel the institution to include him in its graduation ceremony on September 26, 2026.

The legal dispute centers on alleged delays in processing his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in International Relations dissertation.

Masengeli enrolled in USIU’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences in September 2021 for the five-year doctoral program, targeting a September 2026 graduation alongside his cohort. He says he completed all required coursework and examinations by August 2023, when the university’s Board of Examiners formally approved his results. He then transitioned to the dissertation phase, selecting his topic in January 2024 and submitting his final proposal on May 30, 2025.

Despite repeated follow-ups, the university approved the proposal for defense on December 15, 2025.

After completing institutional reviews and field work, Masengeli submitted his first dissertation draft on June 11, 2026. He addressed supervisor feedback and submitted a second draft on July 14, 2026. By August 31, Masengeli established that both internal and external examiners had turned in their evaluations, yet the university failed to release the results to him or schedule his public defense.

Concerned that the hold-up would leave him off the final graduation list expected by September 11, he sent a formal demand letter on August 25. USIU responded on September 3, citing “mandatory requirements” and “pending next steps” before referring the matter to the Associate Dean of the School of Graduate Studies.

In his petition before Justice David Mburu, Masengeli argues that USIU’s conduct violates his constitutional right to fair administrative action under Article 47 by failing to administer his academic process efficiently, lawfully, and within a reasonable timeframe. He further contends that the delay threatens his right to education under Article 43(1)(f).

Clarifying that he does not ask the court to substitute its academic judgment for that of the institution, Masengeli seeks declarations that he has met the degree requirements, an order adding him to the September 26 graduation list, and compensation for legal costs.

On September 9, 2026, Justice Mburu certified the case as urgent, allowing it to proceed during court recess and giving USIU three days to file its response.

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