Don’t clear unqualified aspirants, warns varsity group
University students say they will protest attempts by political parties to clear unqualified aspirants to vie for posts in the upcoming elections.
Kenya Universities Students Organisations (KUSO) says they will partner with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to ensure that the candidates are of high moral and legal standing.
KUSO president Anthony Manyara, the students say they are determined to see free and fair polls but are concerned about laxity by Government institutions in enforcing election requirements.
“The concerned institutions have let persons with questionable academic qualifications, those with legal indictments, and those whose loose utterances shake the foundations of the country’s peace, to campaign unhindered,” said Manyara.
Speaking at a Nairobi hotel, Manyara said students would seek legal redress should a person with questionable integrity be cleared to vie.
A case in point is Meru Senator Mithika Linturi ,who the students said is unsuitable to vie for Meru Governor on academic grounds.
Manyara said Linturi claims to have attended Marathwada University in May 1988, which KUSO said is non-existent. He added that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission wrote to the University of Nairobi on October 19, 2017 casting doubts on authenticity of the degree certificate and transcripts provided by Linturi.
“Linturi is not eligible to vie for governor or any other position except Member of the County Assembly”, said Manyara.
