The United States International University-Africa (USIU-Africa) has told the court that Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli has not yet met all the requirements for graduation from its PhD programme.
In a response concerning the upcoming September 2026 graduation, the university said its Senate had reviewed the matter and established that the student still had pending academic milestones.
USIU-Africa said the student therefore does not currently qualify for graduation, following a lawsuit seeking orders to compel the university to clear him for the ceremony.
The university’s response comes after Masengeli moved to the High Court over delays in the processing of his PhD in International Relations.
Masengeli, who enrolled at USIU-Africa in September 2021, is seeking the release of his dissertation results and inclusion in the list of students expected to graduate this month.
Through his lawyer, Cecil Miller, he argued that he had submitted his dissertation on June 11, 2026, and subsequently made revisions based on feedback from his supervisors.
He further stated that reports from both internal and external examiners had been submitted by August 31, but he had not been informed of the outcome or clearly told what remained outstanding.
However, in its response, the university maintained that there were mandatory requirements and pending steps that had not been completed.
The institution added that its legal counsel had filed a formal response in court and that it was closely monitoring the matter to safeguard academic integrity and the university’s interests.
