Home » Billionaire presidential hopeful Jimmy Wanjigi doesn’t have a degree

Billionaire presidential hopeful Jimmy Wanjigi doesn’t have a degree

by Enock Ndayala

Billionaire businessman-cum politician Jimmy Wanjigi joined the 2022 presidential race after falling out with ODM leader Raila Odinga.

He unsuccessfully tried to challenge Raila Odinga for the ODM party presidential ticket.

He then left ODM and joined the Safina party, where he was declared the presidential candidate for the August 9, General Election.

Billionaire businessman-cum politician Jimmy Wanjigi joined the 2022 presidential race after falling out with ODM leader Raila Odinga.
Billionaire businessman-cum politician Jimmy Wanjigi joined the 2022 presidential race after falling out with ODM leader Raila Odinga.

This journey however seems to have come to an abrupt end after it emerged that Jimmy Wanjigu doesn’t have a university degree.

The Constitution of Kenya 2010 requires that any person seeking the presidency or the gubernatorial seat must be a holder of at least an undergraduate degree from a recognized university.

On Monday, June 6, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairman Wafula Chebukati disqualified Jimmy Wanjigi from the 2022 presidential race for lack of a Degree certificate.

Chebukati said that Wanjigi brought academic transcripts contrary to the regulations which state that each of the candidates must submit a degree certificate from a recognized institution in the country.

“You must bring a physical copy of your degree certificate before I clear you,” Chebukati told an agitated Jimmy Wanjigi.

Wanjigi is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts Degree in International Relations and Security Studies at the Daystar University.

Chebukati further said that Wanjigi failed to meet the requisite signatures and copies of Identity Cards of those who approved his presidential bid.

“We have allowed others who have problems with signatures to harmonize, and we can also allow you in the remaining hours to do so,” Chebukati told Wanjigi.

It is a requirement that any person seeking the presidency must present at least 48,000 signatures from registered voters in at least 24 counties to the commission.

Speaking at the Bomas of Kenya shortly after being disqualified, Wanjigi accused the commission of wanting to whittle down the presidential contestant’s lists to a few people.

“There seems to be a clear decision that there are people who must not be on the ballot and I am one of them,” he said.

Others who have been disqualified are Reuben Kigame who was seeking the country’s top seat on an independent ticket and Thirdway Alliance presidential hopeful Ekuru Aukot.

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