Kenya Drops Degree Requirement For Elections

Kenyan electoral commission has confirmed that candidates no longer need a university degree to run for president, governor, or parliament ahead of the 2027 elections in the country.

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Ann Nderitu said the degree requirement was no longer in force following a series of court rulings.

The requirement was introduced under Kenya’s 2011 Elections Act and applied to presidential, parliamentary and gubernatorial candidates in the 2013, 2017 and 2022 elections.

However, Kenya’s High Court ruled in 2022 that the requirement was unconstitutional. Subsequent legal decisions prevented the electoral commission from enforcing it.

Nderitu said the court had found the requirement discriminatory, noting that fewer than 4% of Kenyans hold university degrees.

The rule was introduced to improve the quality of governance but was challenged on the grounds that it restricted citizens’ rights to seek elective office.

Its removal has renewed debate over the qualifications needed to lead the East African country. Kenya’s first two presidents, Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel arap Moi, did not hold university degrees, while Mwai Kibaki, Uhuru Kenyatta and current President William Ruto are university graduates.

Nderitu said the IEBC may ask Parliament to establish clear minimum academic qualifications for elective positions.

Candidates seeking office in 2027 must still meet other constitutional requirements, including being Kenyan citizens by birth.

SOURCE: TRTAfrika