Johnson Sakaja won the Nairobi Governor seat after garnering 699,392 votes.
The crux of the issue revolves around the validation of Sakaja's academic credentials, which has become a battleground for political maneuvering.
Sakaja vied on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket defeated his main rival Polycarp Igathe of the Jubilee party who got 573,518 votes.
In the lead-up to the August 2022 elections, Sakaja's bid for the Nairobi governor seat faced scrutiny when a petitioner raised concerns about the validity of his academic qualifications.
The petitioner's lawsuit alleged that Sakaja lacked the necessary academic credentials to run for office, casting doubt on his eligibility.
Central to this controversy is Sakaja's Bachelor of Science in Management Degree from Team University. The Commission for University Education (CUE) declined to verify Sakaja's degree, citing the need for further investigation into its authenticity. This decision by the commission set off a chain reaction of accusations and counter-accusations.
Sakaja swiftly responded to the rejection of his degree, dismissing it as politically motivated. He accused the chairman of CUE, Prof Chacha Nyaigotti Chacha, of being bribed by President Kenyatta to invalidate his academic credentials. Sakaja vehemently defended the legitimacy of his degree, asserting that it had previously been verified by the commission when he was cleared to contest for governor.
The allegations of political interference have cast a shadow over Sakaja's gubernatorial bid, raising questions about the integrity of the electoral process. The politicization of academic qualifications undermines the principle of meritocracy and erodes public trust in the democratic system.
0 Comments