Makerere University has come to the defence of Deputy President William Ruto, who was recently honoured by the institution.
Last week, the institution launched William Ruto Institute in an occasion attended by President Yoweri Museveni and Dr Ruto.
On Monday however, the institution defended Dr Ruto's achievements, arguing that the award had nothing to do with academics as claimed by Prof Makau Mutua.
"The opinion written in one of the East African dailies criticizing the establishment of the William Ruto Institute of Leadership Studies at Makerere is misguided and out of context. The Institute is not an academic award as Prof. Makau W. Mutua seems to insinuate, but a rear initiative by an African political leader to support African indigenous scholarship," read the statement.
"William Ruto’s initiative should be commended by all patriotic African elites and not condemned out of apparent misconception. Makerere awaits the implementation of yet another initiative by another great Kenyan leader, Mwai Kibaki, which he launched four years ago," it added.
Prof Mutua had questioned the honour in an article published by Sunday Nation and The East African, arguing that Ruto did not deserve it.
"Mr Ruto is the furthest thing from these indicia. His short biography is one of a chequered public career punctuated by infamy, calumny, and ungoverned greed for political power," he said.
Further, the law professor questioned the authenticity of the DP's doctorate degree, arguing that it has a lot of controversies.
"Methinks that Mr Ruto and his academic supervisors at the University of Nairobi have a lot of questions to answer. We need to see an audit of his programme of study to establish the authenticity, or lack thereof, of his doctorate."