The Senate legal committee has approved the Bill seeking to scrap the degree requirement for those vying for Parliamentary and Member of County Assembly seats.
The bill was drafted by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen to amend Section 22 of the Elections Act to remove the requirement of an academic degree for those seeking to run for MPs and MCAs.
Led Nyamira Senator Okongo Omugeni, the committee agreed that the Bill should be expedited before the 2022 General Election.
In the proposed amendment, Murkomen wants anyone who is able to read and write in English or Swahili language or, in the case of a person who is deaf, is literate in the Kenya sign language.
“The purpose of this bill is to amend the Elections Act No. 24 of 2011 to enable a person who is able to read and write to be nominated as a candidate for elections as a member of Parliament,” the bill reads.
Murkomen argues that the law discriminates against persons who may not have a degree.
Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina also wanted the degree requirement to be upheld.
However, Ole Kina proposes that the degree requirement to be upheld for MPs and above but not for MCAs.
The push cames days after Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission(IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati announced that only those with degree certificates will be allowed to run in 2022.
“We will follow the law and the Elections Act clearly states that all candidates in the six elective positions must have a university degree to able to qualify to run for office,” Chebukati said.
Two citizens petitioned the National Assembly to repeal section 22 (1)(b) of the Elections Act, 2011.
Anthony Manyara and John Wangai argued that the section is unconstitutional to the extent that they are discriminatory, inconsistent with the constitutional provisions in the Bill of Rights and against the will and sovereignty of the people.
“The petitioners claim that the university degree requirement will make political leadership a preserve of the elite and will disenfranchise a number of good leaders who may not have been privileged to pursue higher education,” Speaker Justin Muturi said as he read out the petition to members.