UoN students to Sakaja – Come, sit for your degree and run for governor next time

The University of Nairobi (UoN) students are now demanding that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) should only allow people with genuine academic certification to vie for political seats.

The students, led by former Student Organization of Nairobi University (SONU) legal affairs Secretary, Simon Mwangi yesterday said they will not allow any candidate with questionable certificates to run for office in the upcoming general elections.

They invited the Nairobi Governor aspirant, Johnson Sakaja to go back to the university and clear his degree programme and consider contesting for the gubernatorial seat in the next election cycle.

“Within the past one week, Kenyans have been treated to an endless charade, which culminated into the clearance of Sakaja to vie for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat, despite the glaring inconsistencies that emerged regarding the validity of his academic qualifications,” Mwangi said in a statement.

Mwangi reminded all politicians that acquiring a degree involves a lot of hard work and that it is not fair for some individuals to take shortcuts while others struggle in class to acquire knowledge and valid certification.

They said the law clearly states that the salient qualification for a governor’s seat is being a holder of a degree from a recognized university in Kenya.

Student leaders raise flag on academic fraud

According to the students, academic fraud by a section of politicians is not new in the political landscape and there have been several instances before where they have presented dubious certificates to IEBC and gotten away with it.

Mwangi said this culture of indifference towards education fraudsters has lowered the bar for leaders in the country and continues to stifle democracy and good governance.

“We can no longer remain quiet. We can no longer stand and watch as our country and the onstitution is sold to the highest bidders, who, by wielding their affluence, can expediently and conveniently obtain fraudulent academic papers, at the expense of the Kenyan people,” they said.

“We cannot sit by and watch as Kenya sinks at the hands of incompetent leaders, who continue to circumvent their way into public office through corruption. We cannot sweep this under the rug and neither should IEBC,” they added.

Mwangi regretted that the youth, who have worked hard to earn their degree certificates, are made to play second fiddle to unqualified people, who have obtained their degree certificates through fraud.

This, they said, has led to Kenyans having to contend with poor leadership, which has resulted from endemic academic fraud.

“For a candidate who has been riding on the wave of promotion of the development of the youth, Sakaja’s actions are not only inimical to the interests of the youth of this country, but also set a very dangerous precedent. It is hypocritical to reap where you did not sow and seek to enjoy the benefits of a position you have not earned,” they charged.

Saying that elections are a process, the students urged IEBC to come out strongly and safeguard democracy and the rule of law without extending any advantage whatsoever to any candidates.

“Elections are the voice of the Kenyan people. We should not allow anyone to compromise the future of this country by fraudulently seeking to enjoy the trappings of public office, whose occupancy they have not merited,” they added.

They urged Sakaja to come out clearly and offer clarity on this matter saying that he owes Nairobi residents that much.

The UoN students also urged IEBC to treat this issue with the seriousness it deserves and exercise its' due diligence.