The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has clarified that a university degree is not currently required for anyone seeking to contest the presidency, a parliamentary seat or a governorship in the 2027 General Election, following a court ruling that struck down the legal provision imposing that requirement. IEBC Commissioner Ann Nderitu made the clarification on a television show on Sunday, explaining that the position stems from a court challenge filed before the 2022 General Election. “Before the 2022 general election, there were some people who went to court, and they challenged the requirement for a degree for the president,…
Author: Davin Muthoni
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) has issued a detailed calendar of deadlines for the 2027 General Election, requiring presidential aspirants to submit their lists of supporters by May 24, 2027, as part of a wider roadmap governing how candidates will be nominated and registered ahead of the polls. Under the requirement, each presidential hopeful must present the Commission with a list containing the names, signatures and identity card or valid passport numbers of at least 2,000 registered voters drawn from a majority of Kenya’s 47 counties. “Aspirants vying for President shall deliver to the Commission a list bearing…
Anyone caught fixing or manipulating sporting competitions in Kenya now faces the prospect of jail time, hefty fines and a lifetime ban from sport or regulated gaming, after the National Assembly passed the Sports (Amendment) Bill, 2026, which for the first time makes match manipulation a specific criminal offence. Sponsored by nominated MP Irene Nyakerario Mayaka, the Bill amends the Sports Act, 2013, to close what lawmakers described as a long-standing gap in Kenya’s legal framework. It creates a new offence; anyone who takes part in, directly or indirectly, or who aids, enables or assists in manipulating a sports competition,…
Lawyer Duncan Ojwang Oburu now faces the demanding task of leading the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), after the National Assembly approved his nomination as chairperson of the civilian body tasked with overseeing the police. Ojwang secured the approval after MPs adopted a report by the Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security, chaired by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, recommending him for the role. The committee found that he satisfied all the qualifications required for the position, noting specifically that he meets the standard set for appointment as a judge of the High Court. He steps into an institution…
A Nairobi lawyer has moved to the High Court to challenge the appointment and continued occupancy of the office of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Chief Executive Officer by Dr Richard Lesiyampe, arguing that the process breached constitutional and statutory requirements governing senior public appointments. In a petition filed at the High Court’s Constitutional and Human Rights Division, advocate Samwel Muiruri Mwangi contends that the appointment raises serious questions over compliance with the Constitution, the Public Service Commission Act and the regulations governing how senior public office holders are recruited. Mwangi wants the court to suspend the implementation of Lesiyampe’s appointment…
For 15 years, if you wanted to stop a government decision, a road through your land, a budget passed without your say, or a licence issued without warning, there was one route: run to court and argue that “public participation” had not happened. Indeed, the phrase “public participation” is one of the most frequently cited in Kenyan constitutional litigation, yet one of the least defined. The principle has been recognised in the Constitution since 2010. It appears in Article 10 and in provisions on budgets, legislation and county government. However, it never spelled out what public participation actually requires. How…
The High Court has temporarily blocked the extradition of three Kenyans wanted in the United States over an alleged multi-million-dollar fraud scheme, pending the outcome of an appeal against the order to hand them over. Justice Alexander Muteti suspended the earlier ruling that would have seen Peter Omari, Francis Asanyo and Elvis Obaigwa surrendered to American authorities to face trial on tax fraud charges. Lawyers Ishmael Nyaribo and Cliff Oduk, representing the trio, have seven days to file submissions challenging the extradition. Oduk’s case rests on a straightforward argument: Kenya has no extradition treaty with the US, so the men…
The Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has asked the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to clarify its recent warning against teachers’ misuse of social media, arguing that its current wording could unfairly target teachers who simply maintain an active online presence. TSC issued the warning in a circular dated August 13, cautioning teachers against cyberbullying, harassment and other forms of unprofessional conduct online, and stating that offenders would face disciplinary action. The commission said it had observed a rise in cases involving teachers engaging in cyberbullying, intimidation, harassment and the sharing of offensive content, and reminded teachers that as public…
Workers, traders and employers who fail to pay the Housing Levy now face bank account freezes, asset seizures and PIN deactivation, after legal changes that took effect on July 1 handed the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) the enforcement powers it previously lacked to pursue defaulters. KRA has been collecting the levy, set at 1.5 per cent of gross pay or income, since July 2024, but had no legal basis to go after those who failed to remit it, leaving thousands of workers and firms to evade payment. The Finance Act 2026 closed that gap and increased the commission KRA earns…
The Senate has appealed to the Court of Appeal against a High Court finding that senators breached former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s right to a fair hearing during his impeachment trial, along with the Sh50 million in constitutional damages the court ordered it to pay him. The appeal comes a month after Gachagua filed his own challenge to the same judgment, contesting most of it, including the findings that upheld his impeachment and Professor Kithure Kindiki’s succession to the office. Gachagua preserved the two findings that favoured him: the rights violation and the damages award. The Senate’s appeal, filed through…
