IEBC ASKED TO RELEASE RUTO, RAILA’S ACADEMIC CERTIFICATES

A voter identified as Josiah Murigu Gitari on Tuesday, May 30, wrote to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) seeking academic qualifications for 2022 presidential candidates.

Through Adrian Kamotho Njenga & Company Advocates, the voter asked IEBC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Hussein Marjan to share academic copies of President William Ruto, Raila Odinga, George Wajackoyah and David Mwaure, who vied for the presidency in 2022. 

Kamotho revealed that this was informed by the Constitution and Election Regulations 2012.

“Article 35 of the Constitution as read with sections 4 & 5 of the Access to Information Act, 2016, confers upon citizens, the right of access to information held by the State or by another person, required for the exercise or protection of a right or fundamental freedom.

“Rule 47 of the Elections (General) Regulations, 2012, provides that for purposes of ascertaining the educational qualification of persons for an elective post, a person seeking nomination shall submit to the Commission certified copies of certificates of the educational qualification,” the letter indicated the reason for such request.

Keeping in mind that IEBC received academic qualifications for all candidates, Kamotho felt Marjan was best placed to provide the certificates.

“Our client hereby requests for the copies of certificates of the educational qualification presented to IEBC by all the candidates who participated in the election of the President of the Republic of Kenya held on Tuesday, August 9, 2022,” the letter read in part.

According to the General Elections Regulation, a presidential candidate and his deputy must possess an undergraduate degree from a recognised academic institution.

All four presidential candidates were cleared by former IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati who certified they had met all requirements including academic qualifications.

In June 2022, IEBC CEO Marjan addressed allegations that former Prime Minister Raila Odinga did not meet the minimum academic qualifications.

“By the time Chebukati was clearing him (Raila) he had certified that the candidate had met all the requirements. Raila Odinga met the requirements,”  the CEO remarked during an interview with NTV.

This came after Former UDA Secretary General Veronica Maina questioned Raila’s academic qualifications.

“You have seen a lot of headlines questioning the university that our biggest opponent Raila, qualified from.

“It is a very big question which needs to be looked at, not through the lens of just one candidate, but a wider public question,” she requested IEBC.

By Kenyans