Jimi Wanjigi of Safina Party disqualified from presidential race over lack of degree

Jimi Wanjigi at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on June 6, 2022 when he appeared before the IEBC for clearance as a presidential aspirant. [Samson Wire, Standard]

Jimi Wanjigi of Safina Party has been disqualified from the August 9, 2022 presidential race over lack of a Bachelor’s degree.

It is a requirement that any person seeking the presidency must be a holder of at least an undergraduate degree from a recognised university.

On Monday, June 6, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati disqualified Wanjigi from the race for failing to meet the academic qualifications requirement.

Chebukati said Wanjigi brought academic transcripts, and as per a letter from his university, Daystar, Wanjigi is scheduled to graduate in December 2022.

Wanjigi is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Relations and Security Studies.

Chebukati, who analysed Wanjigi’s documents at the Bomas of Kenya in Nairobi on Monday, further said that the aspirant did not meet the signatures requirement.

It is a requirement that any person seeking the presidency must provide 48,000 signatures from registered voters in at least 24 counties. The voters’ signatures and copies of national identity cards indicate that they have endorsed the aspirant for presidency.

Wanjigi protested his disqualification, accusing the IEBC of wanting to whittle down the presidential contestants’ list to a few people, who are “favoured” by the commission.