The Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) has devised ways of preventing politicians with fake academic certificates from contesting in the upcoming elections. The Authority, which is is charged with ensuring quality academic qualifications, has said that it is partnering with Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC)to vet the politicians' academic qualifications before contesting for elections.

The Authority led by the chairperson Kilemi Mwiria held a meeting with IEBC on Thursday 4th February to find ways of partnership and collaboration according to a report by Nation Newspaper.

The meeting is one among many more that the two agencies will have to ensure that the country gets leaders with genuine academic credentials. Further, a report from KNQA indicated that up to a third of Kenyans have fake degrees.

The meeting between IEBC and KNQA comes against backdrop or protest from a section of MCAs opposing an election law that requires them to have graduate degrees. The Elections Laws Amendments Bill (2017) require all those contesting for public office to be graduates. Therefore, KNQA Director General Juma Mukhwana said that politicians should lead by example in implementing these laws.

The country will have to wait and see if IEBC and KNQA together with other government agencies will implement the all the elections laws. However, the proposal by KNQA is likely to cause political jitters could considering a number of MCAs are not graduates and will be locked out of the general elections.

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