You Won't Need A Degree To Vie For Governor In 2027- Court

The High Court has ruled that those seeking to run for gubernatorial positions in the future don't need to have a degree certificate to be cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Justice Anthony Mrima through a verdict delivered on Friday, September 30 noted that the gubernatorial election was the same as that of the Member of a County Assembly (MCA), meaning the requirement was deemed unconstitutional.

“A declaration hereby issued that pursuant to Article 180 sub article 2 as read with section 183 of the Constitution,” Justice Mrima ruled.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua meeting governors from drought-stricken counties on September 27, 2022. /TWITTER

To avoid a mountain of petitions by governor aspirants over their winning competitors who were ineligible for lack of a university degree, Mrima said that the directive would be enforced in the 2027 General Elections.

The 11th Parliament introduced the degree requirement through an amendment of the Election Laws (Amendment) Act of 2017. It was put off during the 2017 polls, meaning it was effected in the 2022 polls.

The directive could come as good news for Nairobi Governor, Johnson Sakaja, should he decide to vie for a second term in 2027.

Getting to the top County seat was no easy task for him as he had to fight numerous court battles in his bid to take over from former county boss, Mike Sonko. His degree from Team University in Uganda was for instance revoked by the Commission of University Education (CUE).

The High Court on Tuesday, July 12 cleared him to vie after it dismissed a petition that sought to disqualify him from the seat over the integrity of his academic qualifications. Dennis Gakuu filed the petition which had wanted Sakaja locked out of the race over the validity of his degree.

CUE had dismissed the recognition of his degree from Team University, despite declaring even during the Nairobi gubernatorial debate that he had acquired it legally.

His opponent, Polycarp Igathe, had used every chance to roast Sakaja regarding the credibility of his academic papers during the debate on Monday, July 11, claiming that he toppled two other candidates to clinch the Jubilee party ticket, noting that he did not have a degree. 

"Within the party, there were two other people, the ones who were running against me within the party also did not have degrees, I beat them," he said. 

However, Sakaja responded by exposing how his opponent resigned as Deputy Governor, just six months into the job, further claiming that he could not stand by former governor Mike Sonko during his difficult times. 

"If you stuck in office Governor Sonko would not have been impeached. If you stuck in office, maybe you would be the incumbent governor. 

"This city needs resilience, you need to be tough. You cannot say you betrayed, how many votes did you say you guys got?" he posed.