Citizens Petition National Assembly to Repeal Section 22(1) of Elections Act

From Twitter/@NAssemblyKE

The Speaker of the National Assembly, JB Muturi, has presented a petition to the House from Mr. Anthony Manyara and Mr.John Wangai asking that the National Assembly repeals Section 22 (1) of the Elections Act 2011.

Section 22 paragraph (b) of Subsection 1 of the Act provides that a person may be nominated as a candidate for an election under this Act only if that person,(i) in the case of an MP is a holder of a degree from a university recognized in Kenya. (ii) or in the case of an MCA, a degree from a university recognized in Kenya. The cited provisions are to come into force and apply to qualifications for candidates in the general elections to be held after the 2017 General Elections being August 2022 General Elections.

The petitioners argue that Section 22(i)(b) are unconstitutional to the extent that they’re discriminatory, inconsistent with the Constitutional provisions in the Bill of Rights and against the will and sovereignty of the people.