This article focuses on qualifications for Governors in Kenya. The qualifications also apply to Deputy Governors. Governors head county governments and are eligible for election for two consecutive terms of five years.
Qualifications For Governors
- Must be a Kenyan citizen by birth.
- Must be a registered voter.
- Must not owe allegiance to a foreign state.
- Should qualify to stand for election as a Member of Parliament.
- Must be a holder of a degree from a university recognised in Kenya.
- Must be nominated by a political party or be an independent candidate.
- Must not be a public officer or acting in any state or public office, other than President, Deputy President or Member of Parliament.
- Must meet the moral and ethical requirements under the Leadership and Integrity Act.
- Must not hold dual citizenship unless citizenship of the other country has been obtained by operation of law without capacity to opt out.
- Must not be an undischarged bankrupt.
- Must not be a person of unsound mind.
- Must not be subject to a sentence of imprisonment of at least six months from the date of registration of candidates or date of elections.
- Must not have been found to have abused or misused state or public office or contravened chapter six of the constitution.
- Must not have been dismissed or removed from public office for contravening the provisions of Articles 75, 76, 77 and 78 of the constitution.
Requirements
The candidate must submit the following documents to IEBC during the commission nomination.
- Certified copies of educational qualification certificates, including a degree certificate in accordance with Section 22 of the Elections Act, 2011 and Regulation 47 of Elections (General) Regulations, 2012.
- A copy of a National ID/valid passport or the document used by the candidate to register as a voter.
- A passport size photograph with white background submitted in hard and soft copy.
- If a party candidate, a nomination certificate from a fully registered political party nominating the candidate, duly dated and signed by an authorised official of the party.
- A duly signed and dated Code of Conduct (Second Schedule of the Elections Act, 2011).
- A duly filled Commission Nomination Form, including An original Statutory Declaration Form for purposes of nomination (Regulation 18(3) Elections (General) Regulations, 2012 and an original Self Declaration Form (Regulation 46 of Elections (General) Regulations, 2012).
- For both political party and independent candidates, an electronic and printed copy of not fewer than 2000 voters from each of the majority of the counties in the prescribed form.
- Nomination fees in a bankers cheque payable to IEBC: Kshs. 20,000 for candidates and Kshs. 100,000 for a candidate who is a youth, a woman or a person with disability.
Qualifications For An Independent Candidate
- A clearance certificate from the Registrar of Political Parties certifying that the person was not a member of any political party for the last 3 months before the elections, (Regulation 15 (a) (General) Regulations, 2012.
- An electronic and a printed copy of a list of at least 2000 supporters from each of the majority of the counties in the prescribed form, submitted to IEBC.
- A duly filled Form of Intention to Contest, prescribed by IEBC.
- A symbol the candidate intends to use during the election, which has been approved by IEBC 21 days before nomination day.
- Establish and maintain a functioning office in the respective electoral area where the candidate is contesting, which must be available for inspection by IEBC at least 45 days before the elections. The address, including the physical address of the office must be communicated to the commission.
Check out: Functions and Salary of a County Governor in Kenya
