Petition filed to block Malala from Kakamega Governor race over 'fake' KCSE, degree certificates

A petition has been filed challenging the academic qualifications of Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala.

The petitioner, Fred Muka, claims that the validity of Malala's KCSE certificate is in dispute and the court should resolve the matter before he is cleared to vie for the Kakamega Governor seat in the August 9 General Election.

Muka wants the court to restrain IEBC from gazetting Malala's name as a candidate in the upcoming polls pending the hearing and determination of the case.

He also wants the respondents compelled to avail necessary documentation and records in support of Malala's degree and KCSE certificates.

The petitioner avers that while Senator Malala claims to have graduated in August 2011, the degree in his possession was issued in August 2019. The petitioner further claims Malala's name is neither featured on the 2011 nor 2019 list of USIU graduands.

"While the 1st Respondent alleges that he graduated from USIU in the year 2011, his degree certificate was printed and issued to him on the 10th day of August 2019. This is eight years after the purported graduation yet ordinarily the date on a degree certificate is the day a person graduates from an institution," reads court documents.

"A cursory glance at the USIU list for the year 2011 shows that Malala did not feature among the graduands for Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Technology neither did his name feature in the graduation list for 2019,” the petitioner adds.

On the Senator's KCSE certificate, the petitioner claims that the document features a different KNEC code from the one issued to Friends School Kamusinga where he sat the exam. The petitioner also claims that the subjects that were being taught at the school during the same period are different to those on Malala's KCSE certificate.

"THAT additionally, the validity and legitimacy of the 1st Respondent's Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Certificate is also in dispute, with the same displaying a different KNEC code from the official code issued to Friends School Kamusinga by the 5th Respondent herein and even the subjects indicated being different from the subjects that were being taught and examined during the said period," reads the court documents.

The respondents in the case include Vice-Chancellor, United States International University (USIU), the Commission for University Education and Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). Also listed among the respondents is the electoral commission IEBC, the Returning Officer, Kakamega County, EACC and the DCI.