Nairobi, Kenya, Feb 3 – The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has maintained that the degree requirements for any aspirants vying for the positions of President, Deputy President, Governor and Deputy Governor remains the same.
In response to a letter from the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Veronica Maina, the electoral body emphasised that the education requirements for political candidates remain as they were in the 2017 general elections.
Maina had written to the Wafula Chebukati-led commission requesting for information on aspirants’ qualifications and requirements for elective positions for the August 9 polls.
“Section 22 of the Elections Act,2011 speaks to the requirement of Members of Parliament and Members of the County Assembly to possess a degree from a university recognized in Kenya. This law is in force for purposes of the General Election 2022,” read a notice from IEBC CEO Marjan Hussein Marjan in part.
The IEBC CEO further said that there is currently no education requirement for ward representatives pointing out that the degree requirement for constituency aspirants remain in force.
Marjan told the UDA Secretary General that there is an ongoing litigation at the High Court challenging the Constitutionality of the section 22(1)(b)(i) of the Elections Act which was declared unconstitutional by the High court on October 15 last year.
“Unless declared unconstitutional by the Court, the degree requirement for Members of Parliament is in force and is trite law,” he stated.
He added that there is currently no education requirement for ward representatives.
“For clarity, the Court effectively nullified the requirement that a person must possess a degree from a university recognized in Kenya to qualify to be a Member of a County Assembly. In the forgoing circumstance, there is no educational requirement in respect of MCA aspirants,’” Marjan said.
Kenya is slated to conduct its national elections on August 9, 2022.
