Petitioners: Wavinya Ndeti's computer science degree is fake
Ms Wavinya Ndeti.
Two Machakos voters have lodged a complaint at the electoral commission challenging it's decision to allow former Transport chief administrative secretary Wavinya Ndeti to contest for the governor's seat.
Mr Gideon Ngewa Kenya and Mr Kisilu Mutisya want the Independent Electoral Commission (IEBC) disputes resolution committee to revoke the clearance of Ms Ndeti over claims that she is not qualified to vie for the position.
In the complaint, the voters have alleged that the Wiper Democratic Party candidate does not have a university degree as required by the law.
Hence, they claim she is ineligible and decision of IEBC to clear her bid is void.
They allege that her academic certificates are questionable, inconsistent and that although she claims to have studied in UK there is no record of her ever registering in the UK under permutations of her name.
"Ms Ndeti is not a holder of a degree recognized in Kenya. On November 6, 1992 she was purportedly awarded a Masters degree in Business systems analysis and design by the City University, London without having undertaken a first degree," said the complainants.
They added: On July 18, 1995 Ms Ndeti apparently obtained a degree (Bsc) in Computing Studies from South Bank University London.
"Undertaking a degree after being awarded a masters in a closely-related subject is equally problematic. The degree in Computing Studies awarded by South Bank University to Ms Ndeti raises a number of issues," the complainants claim.
In their view, 'the title of the degree is extremely uncommon to a point where it does not feature online as a course'.
"Computer Science is the universal course title for this field of study. Indeed, the graduate Diploma awarded to Ms Ndeti by South Bank Polytechnic London some five years earlier in 1990, was for Computer Science. It is very unlikely that the University would have changed the degree title to Computing Studies in a span of five years," the voters allege.
They argue that, if elected, Ms Ndeti will be tasked with direct management of massive public resources which require intense skills and qualifications, 'which she lacks in this instance'.
"The disputed degree certificates have not been certified by the UK Higher Education System's official degree verification service (HEDD)," they claim adding that prior to filing of the complaint at the disputes' resolution committee they had filed the same at the IEBC opposing Ms Ndeti's clearance.
Ms Ndeti, a former MP for Kathiani constituency and Assistant Minister for Youth and Sports, was given a direct ticket by the Wiper party on April 15, 2022 after a consensus that saw Mavoko MP Patrick Makau drop out of the race to support her.
She joined politics in 2007 following her election as Kathiani MP under the Chama Cha Uzalendo party. In 2013 she vied for Machakos gubernatorial seat but lost to Alfred Mutua of Maendeleo Chapchap and lost again in 2017.
