Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i Thursday warned protracted controversies surrounding education, integrity and other qualifications of individuals to contest elections could strain security plans for the August poll.
He said the high number of such cases attempts to pressurise the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and other adjudicating institutions by mobilising and inciting supporters by involved individuals was raising tensions in the country.
The CS spoke when he addressed a conference of Kenyan diplomats on security preparedness for elections at the Windsor hotel in Nairobi.
He urged for the speedy resolution of such disputes.
“It’s unfortunate that men and women are spending whole days debating whether or not some people went to school. The question of whether one possesses clearly stipulated requirements should be a straightforward yes or no issue,” the CS said.
Although the country was largely peaceful compared to similar periods around previous general elections, the CS said this could be risked by the whipping of emotions around contested eligibility.
“The nature of genuine education is that there is a trail of evidence left behind: there is a classmate who sat with you; there’s is a lecturer who remembers you; there must be records of an exam you sat for; there is a paper you wrote. Why would we be arguing about it?”
Matiang’i linked the agitation to vie in the elections by aspirants of doubtful qualifications to an upsurge of individuals with criminal records and suspected involvement in illegal activities eyeing various electoral seats.
