The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has clarified that candidates contesting for the Presidency, Governorship, or Parliamentary seats in the 2027 General Election will not be required to hold a university degree to be cleared to run.
Speaking on Sunday night, IEBC Commissioner Dr. Ann Nderitu explained that the commission currently lacks any legal basis to enforce a degree threshold following High Court decisions that struck down Section 22 of the Elections Act as unconstitutional.
Courts cited Article 27 (freedom from discrimination) and Article 38 (political rights), noting that 2019 Census data revealed only ~3.5% of Kenyans held university degrees. Mandatory degree requirements would effectively disenfranchise over 96% of the population.
The High Court found that when Parliament enacted the degree requirement under Section 22 of the Elections Act, it failed to meet the mandatory public participation threshold under Article 10 of the Constitution.
A 2022 High Court ruling invalidated degree requirements for Members of Parliament. Because Articles 137 and 180 link presidential and gubernatorial qualifications directly to parliamentary eligibility, the requirement collapsed across all three levels.
Former presidential candidate Prof. George Wajackoyah—who holds multiple law degrees himself—alongside other political leaders, has consistently argued against barring candidates over academic papers, contending that leadership qualities, integrity, and popular mandate should supersede formal degree certificates.
While the degree requirement is off the table for the 2027 nominations, the IEBC indicated it plans to petition Parliament to enact clear and legally sound minimum educational standards through proper constitutional channels and thorough public participation prior to future elections.
