ON IEBC & THE DEGREE REQUIREMENT.

I have read diverse opinions on this subject since Wafula Chebukati pronounced himself on this matter. Some ignorant, some informative. I also wish to express my interest in contributing to this matter of national interest.

I support the call by IEBC that all political aspirants should posses at least a minimum of a Bachelor's Degree.

To begin with, even in precolonial African society, education was a critical prerequisite for leadership. Precolonial African education was mostly oral, but it was enough to meet the requirements of the society of the time.

To be "literate" in precolonial African society, one needed to acquire and internalize the value systems of the community as transmitted to one through the word of mouth and within the prevailing cultural institutions to the highest possible level. That was why those who occupied leadership positions were almost always "the elders." They were "educated," and therefore " wise," because they were the community's most valued repositories of its values.

The situation is not that different for modern society. The demands of our time require a different type of education, but one that seeks to achieve precisely the same goal. One must educate oneself within the context of the prevailing school system in order for one to claim that one is intellectually equipped well enough to advance the interests of the society. As such, in modern society, leadership is inherently connected to education.

Those who are calling for the removal of the degree requirement from consideration for leadership positions in Kenya do not understand the odds that are arraigned against us in modern society. They are literally trying to cut our feet off, in order to render us so incompetent as a nation that we will not be able to compete against other nations for the world's goods and services on the international stage.