Mathenge finally cleared to run after degree fiasco with the IEBC

The New Democrats (TND) Party gubernatorial candidate Thuo Mathenge celebrates with his supporters after being cleared by Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to vie as Nyeri governor, on June 6, 2022. [Mose Sammy, Standard]

Industrialist Thuo Mathenge has been eyeing the Nyeri governor seat since 2013, but there have always been hurdles in the way.

In the 2013 elections, he was cleared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), but he emerged third. He lost to Nderitu Gachagua and Wahome Gakuru.

Mathenge then filed a petition challenging Gachaguá’s election.

He claimed IEBC misrepresented his running mate, identifying him as Geoffrey Gitonga Ndegwa instead of Geoffrey Kamau Kibui, which cost him votes.

He told the High Court that he did not vote for himself after realising that his running mate had been misrepresented.

But after listening to the petition, Justice James Wakiaga not only dismissed it but also imposed a judicial order on the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Director of Public Prosecutions to probe the validity of Mathenge’s degree certificate.

His degree certificate was from Fairland University in Uganda.

Dropped out

In 2017, the electoral agency rescinded its decision to clear Mathenge after two weeks and expunged his name from the list of contestants.

This was after a petitioner wrote to IEBC, bringing its attention to the degree fiasco. Mathenge dropped out of the elections, which were won by Samuel Wamathai.

Earlier in 2017, Jubilee Party had barred him from contesting for the governorship on its ticket over claims that he held fake academic certificates.

Although Mathenge maintains that former DPP Keriako Tobiko cleared him of the claims, he decided to start all over again and enrolled for a Business Administration degree from PCEA University where he says he graduated in 2019.

“In October 2016, Tobiko wrote to the High Court deputy registrar indicating that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the degree was a forgery. Nonetheless, I went back to class to study the same course I had pursued at the Ugandan university,” said Mathenge.

IEBC Wafula Chebukati’s announcement that the businessman would not be cleared for this year’s election caught him by surprise.

Immediately after Chebukati’s shocker, Mathenge put together his certificates from PCEA University and photos of his graduation ceremony and invited journalists to react to Chebukati’s remarks.

Graduation ceremony

He said he graduated in 2019 and even attended the graduation ceremony. He forwarded his academic credentials to the EACC for approval.

“Chebukati relied on 2013 information and has no information that I went back to school, but I blame EACC for taking ages to update my education status despite furnishing them with the same on May 23,” said Mathenge.

While maintaining that he is still in the race, Mathenge urged his supporters to remain calm.

Yesterday, IEBC finally cleared him to contest for the Nyeri governorship.

Three days ago, Chebukati named Mathenge alongside former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko vying for Mombasa governorship and Karungo Wa Thangwa, a Kiambu senatorial aspirant; as some of those who would not be cleared.

But yesterday, Mathenge flanked by his supporters and family stormed IEBC offices with his academic papers.

After he was cleared he described the move as magic.

He accused his detractors of fighting hard to stop his bid for the governor position.

“I forgive them and promise them an epic duel,” he said.

Mathenge, the chairperson of The New Democrats Party (TND), replaced his running mate after it emerged that she had not resigned

EACC listed Dr Esther Wanjiru Maina as one of the candidates who did not resign by the February 9 deadline set by IEBC. She was an employee of Karatina University.

The anti-graft body found out that Dr Maina was still a lecturer at the university by May 31. He has replaced her with Mary Gathoni Kihara.