Most Busia elected ward representatives will not participate in the 2022 polls if a proposal by the electoral agency to lock out aspirants without degrees is implemented.
The Star has established that of the 35 elected MCAs in Busia, only seven have degrees.
Three subcounties produced two MCAs each with degrees during the 2017 polls, while one subcounty has only one ward representative with the university document.
Three subcounties do not have any MCA holding a university degree certificate.
The Star has however reliably been informed that there are MCAs currently pursuing degree courses in various disciplines as they race against time to beat the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission deadline.
A week ago, IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati said a new law requiring aspirants for the six elective posts to have valid degrees will take effect next year.
His announcement was greeted with uproar across the country, particularly by MCAs and MPs.
Chebukati said the operationalisation of the law was postponed in 2017 polls to allow prospective candidates for the post of MP and MCA in 2022 to acquire the higher education qualification.
The Busia county assembly has 53 ward representatives, 35 elected and 18 nominated.
Out of the 18 nominated, only one holds a degree certificate, sources at the county assembly told the Star on Tuesday.
Chebukati said the IEBC will follow the Elections Act, which states that all candidates vying for the six elective positions must have a university degree to qualify to run for office in 2022.
The six posts are president, governor, senator, woman representative, MP and MCA.
Chebukati said the commission will seek the services of professional agencies to scrutinise documents that candidates will present to the IEBC to establish their authenticity ahead of the elections.
MCAs who spoke to the Star, Nancy Okademi (nominated) and David Kokonya (Malaba South), said a forum in which they are members had asked them not to comment on the issue.
Linus Asiba (Matayos South), however, said there was nothing wrong with the implementation of the new rule in 2022.
“I'm okay with that proposal because education is supposed to have value. An MCA, for example, is someone who oversees a huge budget. In Busia, we oversee approximately Sh8 billion budget. The MCAs and MPs are also people who check the executive,” he said.
“At the moment, you find a primary school head is supposed to have a degree in a ward where the MCA oversees over 30 schools. So it becomes challenging if the people you are representing are more educated than you.”
Edited by Henry Makori