The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Chairperson Wafula Chebukati has dismissed Commission for University Education (CUE)’s letter revoking Nairobi Gubernatorial hopeful Johnson Sakaja’s degree.
Chebukati says that the controversy surrounding Sakaja degree issued by TEAM University was resolved by the IEBC disputes tribunal asking CUE to be advised accordingly.
Chebukati says that the commission will now proceed to poll preparations.
High Court Judge, Justice Antony Mirima had earlier on also declined to strike off Sakaja’s name from the Nairobi ballot paper.
Justice Mirima instead certified IEBC to continue with the poll preparations as the case proceeds in court after the High Court on Friday, July 1, refused to stop the IEBC from including Sakaja on the ballot for the Nairobi governor contest.
The commission had on Thursday written to IEBC Thursday indicating that it had received information that Sakaja never enrolled at TEAM University.
According to the commission, it is not responsible for the validity of the certificate or the identity of the certificate holder who has submitted their document for recognition therefore it has the right to rescind such recognition of a degree or a certificate.
“The commission retains the right to revoke recognition of the award in the event that it establishes any reason that makes the award in question ineligible for recognition and or equation,” said the letter.
However, according to Chebukati the only way IEBC can reverse its decision to clear Sakaja to contest as a governor in the election is through a court order.
“The only way to compel the commission to revoke and/or reverse its decision is through a court order setting aside the decision by the tribunal,” the letter reads.
Sakaja was cleared to vie for the seat on June 19, 2022, after a petition filed by Dennis Wahome was dismissed by the tribunal.
In their ruling, they cited the lack of powers to investigate and ascertain the validity of the Bachelor of Science in Management degree from Uganda’s Team University that Sakaja presented to IEBC for clearance.
The response from IEBC comes two days after CUE wrote to the commission informing them of their decision to revoke Sakaja’s degree for failure to submit evidence that he studied in the said university.
CUE sought to have Sakaja’s clearance revoked by the commission.
