The controversy surrounding Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja's candidacy has deepened after a voter petitioned the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Dispute Resolution Committee to revoke his clearance over questionable academic papers.
Mr Jeremiah Kiwoi has asked the committee to declare the governor ineligible to participate in the upcoming election saying the clearance by IEBC on June 6 offends Chapter Six of the Constitution and statutory provisions on integrity.
Also, the Kenyatta University, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Kenya National Examination Council and the Kenya National Qualifications Authority have been listed as interested parties.
In his suit, the petitioner faulted IEBC for clearing Mr Samboja despite overwhelming evidence pointing to falsification of his academic papers and lack of integrity contrary to the Constitution and statutory provisions.
“The clearance of the governor to run for elections as a gubernatorial candidate will greatly aggrieve the residents of Taita Taveta County, who for the last five years have had to contend with the leadership of an unqualified person as their governor, one whom the EACC investigated and established did not meet the educational requirement to contest for the position of governor,” read the petition.
In the petition filed on June 10, he argues that allowing an unqualified person to run for public office is not only a threat to the Constitutional order but will also be detrimental to efforts toward upholding, defending and protecting the law.
He stated that the governor was found to have fabricated academic certificates after Kenyatta University confirmed that he was not a student of the college for his undergraduate studies.
The law dictates that aspirants seeking the county governor position must hold a degree from a recognised university.
The electoral commission has opened a 10-day window for aggrieved aspirants to lodge their complaints with the committee to hear the disputes arising from the recently concluded registration of candidates for different elective positions where 262 complaints have been filed so far.
Earlier during a rally in the Mwakiki area in Voi, Mr Samboja discredited his opponents for questioning his academic performance and urged them to sell their agendas to electorates.
Mr Samboja said he had the intellectual capacity to lead the county and he will not bow to pressure from his opponents.
During the rally, he said that he schooled at Ngangao Secondary School which is seemingly in contradiction to the certificates which he had presented to IEBC in 2017.
In 2017, Mr Samboja presented certificates from Kenyatta High School for his secondary education and Kenyatta University for his undergraduate studies.
It is not clear whether the governor presented the same contested certificates to the commission on June 6 for clearance.
"Since 2017 up to date they claim that I am uneducated. Their problem is because I schooled in Ngangao and not Kenyatta like them. I want to ask you, are all your children in Kenyatta High School?" he posed to the residents.
"Some of your children go to the local schools. Are they not getting the required education? Is it a must for all children to school there?
That contempt should stop,"
The governor blamed his underperformance on the late disbursement of funds by Treasury, his illness and the Covid-19 pandemic.
"Even if an angel descends from heaven to govern this county little development will be implemented if the national government fails to disburse money on time," he said.
Those who want to unseat Mr Samboja are Patience Nyange (Narc), Andrew Mwadime (independent), Stephen Mwakesi (PEP), Dan Mwazo (Wiper), former Governor John Mruttu (UDA) and Prof Agnes Mwang'ombe (ANC).
Others are Faustine Mghendi (TSP) Thomas Mwakwida (ODM) Onesmus Mwinzi (independent) Godino Mwasaru (independent), George Mwandembo (DAP-K) and Francis Mwaita (Safina party).
