Joho, IEBC official in standoff over Form Four certificate
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho receives his nomination certificate on June 1, 2017. There was a standoff at the start when Mr Joho declined to produce his Form Four certificate but the IEBC returning officer insisted it was mandatory. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Ms Wanjiru insisted that it was a requirement the governor produces it failure to which he would not be cleared.
- She attempted to give a copy of the said laws to the governor but Mr Joho tossed it back to her.
- The governor stood his ground, leading to a temporary delay in the process.
- Mr Joho finally produced the certificate and he was cleared amid jubilation from his supporters.
Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho was cleared Thursday by the electoral agency to defend his seat on an ODM ticket, after a nearly 30-minute standoff over a requirement to produce his Form Four certificate.
Mr Joho and Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Returning Officer Nancy Wanjiru were involved in an exchange of words over the issue.
Ms Wanjiru argued that it was mandatory for candidates to produce their Form Four certificate as part of the clearance process while the governor said the requirement is not in the law.
“Please, don’t try to introduce your own laws here. It is not written anywhere that a Form Four certificate is mandatory but (only) a university degree,” argued Mr Joho.
MANDATORY
But Ms Wanjiru insisted that the governor's Form Four certificate was required and he had to produce it or he would be barred from contesting.
“Have you read the law carefully? It is written that you must produce a Form Four certificate before I look at your degree papers,” she insisted.
She attempted to give a copy of the relevant laws to Mr Joho, but the governor tossed it back to her, saying he had thoroughly read it and nowhere was it written that it was mandatory to produce a Form Four certificate.
DELAY
“It is simple Mr Joho, produce the certificate or we are stuck,” she insisted, but the governor stood his ground, leading to a temporary delay in the process.
Mvita MP Abdullswamad Nassir and ODM Mombasa chairman Mohamed Hatimy, who were with the governor, also argued with the officer, asking her to point to the part of the law containing the requirement.
The governor finally produced the certificate and he was cleared amid jubilation from his supporters.
“I thank God for this because there was no issue but they wanted to create one. I will from now on conduct my campaigns based on ideology,” said Mr Joho later.
He promised to maintain peace during his campaigns.
