Makueni County is abuzz with a new controversy surrounding the academic credentials of Governor Mutula Kilonzo Junior, following allegations made by Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse.
Mutuse raised concerns over the governor’s qualifications in a WhatsApp group, sparking a public debate that has now escalated into a formal request for transparency from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
In a letter addressed to the IEBC’s Elections Manager in Makueni, Justus Mutuku, a human rights defender from the region, has formally requested access to Governor Kilonzo’s academic records, which were submitted to the electoral body during his 2022 gubernatorial bid clearance.
According to Mutuku the allegations first aired by Mutuse, have caused significant unease among Makueni residents.
The MP had claimed that Mutula Junior got a D plain in his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) even after repeating Form Four, thus casting doubt on his qualifications to enroll in a law degree program.
According to the letter, MP Mutuse further alleged that the governor may have graduated from an institution not recognized by Kenya’s education system, suggesting a potential misrepresentation of academic credentials.
Mutuku stressed that the gravity of the allegations, especially coming from a sitting member of parliament, cannot be ignored.
“The allegations are serious, especially when uttered by a sitting MP. The people of Makueni deserve to know the truth, which supersedes the rumors circulating on social media,” Mutuku stated in part.
The activist, invoking the Access to Information Act of 2016, has requested the IEBC to release the details of Kilonzo’s academic qualifications within three days of receiving the letter or litigation will follow.
In a move that underscores the importance of transparency, Mutuku also copied the Commission on Administrative Justice (Ombudsman) in his correspondence, signaling his intent to pursue the matter at the highest levels of accountability.
By the time of going to press the IEBC had not yet responded to the request.
