No Degree Needed for Elective Seats, IEBC Declares
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has made clear that a university degree is not currently required for anyone seeking elective office in the upcoming general election.
Commissioner Ann Nderitu explained the position during a recent television interview, stressing that the commission has no legal authority to demand such a qualification from aspirants. This clarification removes a major barrier that once limited opportunities for many qualified individuals who lacked formal higher education credentials.
Nderitu traced the change back to court challenges filed before the 2022 polls. Petitioners had questioned provisions in the Elections Act that demanded degrees for candidates running for president, member of the National Assembly, and governor. The courts found those rules unconstitutional, citing concerns over equality and the absence of proper public participation when the law was enacted. As a result, the commission cannot enforce the old standard today.
She underscored the practical impact of the earlier requirement by noting census figures that showed only a small fraction of the population holds university degrees. Imposing such a condition, the courts reasoned, would shut out the vast majority of citizens from contesting key leadership roles and amount to discrimination. “As we start now, there is no requirement for a degree for anybody. That’s the situation we are in,” Nderitu stated plainly.
At the same time, the commissioner reminded the public that the Constitution still anticipates some form of educational qualification for elective posts. Parliament is expected to prescribe those standards through proper legislation that includes meaningful public input. Until that process is completed and new rules are validly put in place, a degree remains outside the list of mandatory criteria.
Aspirants must still satisfy every other constitutional and statutory condition, including citizenship, voter registration, nomination procedures, and integrity requirements. The commission has indicated it may approach lawmakers to establish clear and fair minimum academic benchmarks in the future. For now, however, the path to elective office is open to a far broader range of citizens in the country, provided they meet the remaining eligibility tests.
