On May 30, 2022, Kenyans were taken through a whirlwind of drama as politicians struggled to explain how, where, and when they acquired their degrees. The requirement for university graduates to run for the seats of President, Deputy President, Governors, and Deputy Governors has led to a degree-hunting spree among politicians.
With the degree rule deferred in 2013 and 2017, and set to take effect in 2022, the courts ultimately ruled to quash the requirement. However, MPs are still required to prove they have a secondary school qualification, and the circus continues.
It is time for the accusations and counter-accusations to stop and for action to be taken. The first port of call should be the institutions of higher learning that politicians claim to have graduated from. It is those institutions' right and duty to defend their reputation, which is being dragged through the mud.
The universities should not find it difficult to claim their students and expose the fraudsters. Those leaders the universities find who are using their names without having gone through them should be promptly prosecuted and charged with fraud.
The Commission on University Education (CUE) and the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) should also take action against academic frauds in the system. They must bring an end to the ensuing confusion, especially in cases where the individual universities are not willing to take the frauds head-on.
However, the electoral commission, CUE, and concerned universities should sue the culprits, if any, and have them severely punished, such as being barred from public office for some time. It is only then that we can protect the integrity of the education sector, universities, and the electoral system itself.
