Universities Cautioned Against Fraudulent Acquisition Of Degrees Ahead of 2022 Elections

Kenya’s University Education Principal Secretary Simon Nabukwesi has warned both public and private universities over the expected fraudulent mass acquisition of degrees as education provisions of the Elections Act come into force in the August 2022 General Election.

Section 22 (1) (b) of the Elections Act of 2011, as amended by the 11th Parliament, provides for minimum academic qualifications for senators, members of the National Assembly and ward representatives.

It stipulates that candidates may be nominated for an election only if they are holders of a university degree recognised in Kenya.

This provision was to take effect ahead of the 2017 General Election but a further amendment was passed to postpone its adoption until the 2022 elections.

As people seeking elective seats rush to acquire the vital document, Nabukwesi, while decrying the quality of education offered at some local institutions of higher learning, said the era of people acquiring degrees they had not earned has ended.

Nabukwesi’s comments came after Gatanga Member of Parliament, Joseph Ngugi, a member of PAC, claimed some people are in a rush to acquire degrees of dubious standards so they can vie in the 2022 elections.

The Principal Secretary also told the committee, that he had directed the Kenya National Qualification Authority and the Commission for University Education to work together to ensure that people with dubious academic documents are locked out of the elections.