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{
    "id": 1078488,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1078488/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 10,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Speaker",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Members, pursuant to Standing Order 225(1)(b), I wish to report to the House that I have received a Petition from Messrs. Anthony Manyara and John Wangai asking the National Assembly to repeal Section 22(1)(b) of the Elections Act, 2011. For clarity, Section 22(1)(b) of the said Act provides that a person may be nominated as a candidate for an election under this Act only if that person holds, in the case of a Member of Parliament, a degree from a university recognised in Kenya; or in the case of member of a county assembly, a degree from a university recognised in Kenya. Pursuant to section 1A of the Act, the cited provisions are to come into force and apply to qualifications for candidates in the general elections to be held after the 2017 general elections, being the August 2022 general elections. The Petitioners argue that Section 22(1)(b) are unconstitutional to the extent that they are discriminatory, inconsistent with the constitutional preserves in the Bill of Rights and against the will and sovereignty of the people, who, constitutionally are the ones to elect their representatives irrespective of academic credentials. They further argue that since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the academic calendar, some sitting and aspiring candidates who do not meet the academic requirements may be disadvantaged as they may not have completed the pursuit for their degrees within the projected time period of less than two years to the next election."
}