Matiangi's blow to politicians ahead of August polls

juma chrispinus

March 24, 2017 1:15 PM

Already the IEBC has set an inter-departmental team to vet aspirants ahead of August polls.

Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i has made an announcement that is set to cause a shakeup in the political circles.

Politicians who have fake or integrity questionable certificates will be locked out of the coming elections, in collaboration with the polls team Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), Matiang’i has said.

Matiang’i has insisted that the Ministry of Education will be working closely with IEBC to get rid of rogue politicians who have allegedly presented fake degrees to their political parties for nominations.

“We have an opportunity to protect the education system and eliminate this vice that is trying to pollute our education system. Just like our country is more important so is our clean education system,” Matiang’i said.

The IEBC yesterday said that it is set to up a strong inter-departmental team to vet aspirants, in a protracted and executive interference reports in the political processes in the recent past.

The team, whose command centre will be stationed at IEBC offices in Nairobi, will have a full-time dedicated staff to verify documents, research and investigate aspirants, beginning next week.

The staff attached to the facility will be composed of officers from the host IEBC, Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, and Justice Department in a concerted effort to root out rogue and politicians who fall short of integrity tests.

“The command centre will enhance the collaboration in the enforcement of Chapter Six on integrity and other relevant laws, as well as provide an integrated effective mechanism to resolve issues of leadership,” IEBC’s chair Wafula Chebukati said.

The collaborating institutions are set to start by publishing fresh guidelines on compliance with leadership and integrity requirements in the 2017 election. Chapter Six of the constitution, however, has a spelt out of the integral requirements before one can run for office.

The team will also give priority to verification of information on aspirants. IEBC’s Chebukati said the collaborating institutions would be encouraging political parties to nominate candidates, who meet the leadership and integrity threshold only.

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