Reprieve for Sakaja as IEBC ignores CUE letter revoking Team University degree

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has disregarded a letter by the Commission for University Education (CUE) that revoked Johnson Sakaja's degree.

This comes after CUE cancelled recognition of Sakaja’s degree certificate from Uganda’s Team University.

CUE said by the time the senator got the degree, the institution was yet to offer the course for external learners.

IEBC said the only way it could be compelled to reverse its decision that cleared the Nairobi senator to run for the city's gubernatorial seat in the August election was through a court order that sets aside the decision made by its Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC).

DRC threw out the petition that challenged Sakaja's nomination on grounds of lack of jurisdiction to determine the authenticity of Sakaja's degree from Team University in Uganda.

IEBC chairperson wrote a letter to the CUE boss Mwenda Ntarangwi saying Sakaja was cleared based on a letter by the commission.

“The DRC judiciously considered the said complainant and made a finding that the returning officer could not be faulted for clearing Mr Sakaja based on the above degree certificate from Team University. Indeed, the returning officer’s main obligation, in ascertaining the educational qualifications, is to ensure that the provision of Regulation 47 of the Elections Regulations, 2022 are met,” the letter read.

“It is recalled that the said degree certificate was accompanied by a letter of recognition dated June 6, 2022, from your good office, which the communication fully relied on."

IEBC's decision is a major boost for Sakaja's Nairobi gubernatorial race after the High Court declined a petition by one Dennis Wahome that sought to bar IEBC from printing ballot papers for the Nairobi gubernatorial contest until the case contesting the validity of Sakaja's academic credentials is heard and determined.