Thursday, June 21, 2012

Should MPs and councilors have degrees?


Should MPs and councilors have degrees?
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By Standard Digital Reporter
MPs engaged in heated debate on what education requirements elected leaders should have before qualifying to be on the ballot papers.
In what appears as MPs caught in the act those who do have a bachelor’s degree may kiss goodbye to parliament.
MPs have been beneficiaries of a system that does peg pay on academic qualifications.
Under the proposed amendments to the Election Act, MPs want candidates for parliamentary seats to have university degrees by 2017.
The laws as it stands now does not require MPs to have degrees but just basic education - Form Four leavers certificate.
The amendments to the Elections Act were proposed by Transport minister Amos Kimunya who is also the Kipipiri MP. Kimunya argued that since the Salaries and Remuneration Commission will peg salaries on academic qualifications it was necessary to have MPs with degrees.
But the MPs in a selfish manner tried to push for postponement of the capping of academic requirements for the current crop of legislators and councilors giving them a five year window period through which they must acquire such papers or be locked out of leadership.
Sirisia MP Moses Wetangula supported amendments that if endorsed will take effect in 2017 General Election.
But a section of MPs argued that there have been very many good debaters and effective leaders without little or no education and who have relied on wisdom.
Wajir West MP Adan Keynan opposed the proposed selective ‘waiver’ of degrees for current MPs saying it was selfish.
Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno said: “there is no way one arm of government (parliament) can get away with low levels of education compared to other arms like Judiciary and Public service.
Ikolomani MP Bony Khalwale opposed low academic requirements arguing that parliament must spearhead academic merit.
Njeru Githae caused laughter when he asked about the fate of honorary degrees in the proposed laws. But Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim ruled that honorary degrees are not academic.
They eventually voted that MPs have degrees by the next General Election.
source: http://standardmedia.co.ke/?articleID=2000060239&story_title=Should-MPs-and-councilors-have-degrees?

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