Kenya Scraps University Degree Requirement for Presidential Candidates After Court Ruling: Electoral Commission
Kenya Scraps University Degree Requirement for Presidential Candidates After Court Ruling: Electoral Commission
A university degree is no longer required to run for president, governor, or parliamentary seats, following a High Court ruling that declared the requirement unconstitutional, electoral commission head Ann Nderitu confirmed to local media.
The court found the requirement discriminatory, noting that fewer than 4% of Kenyans hold university degrees, the commissioner explained.
Key Points:
🟠The degree requirement was introduced in the 2011 Elections Act and applied to the 2013, 2017, and 2022 polls before being struck down in 2022.
🟠Kenya's presidents have had mixed academic backgrounds—Kibaki, Kenyatta, and Ruto hold degrees, while Kenyatta and Moi did not.
🟠Nderitu indicated the commission intends to ask Parliament to establish clear minimum academic qualifications for elective offices.
🟠Kenya joins Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, and Uganda in not requiring a university degree for presidential candidates.
🟠For the 2027 elections, candidates must still meet other constitutional requirements, including Kenyan citizenship by birth.
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