A bachelors degree may in 2022 elections be a mandatory qualification for County Assembly member aspirants.
This is according to a proposed amendment of the Election Act presented to the Parliament Justice and Legal Affairs Committee on Wednesday by the IEBC Chair Isaack Hassan.
IEBC further proposed a university degee should be a requirement for parliamentary aspirants and post-secondary diploma for MCAs in 2017 elections.
The Elections Act says only the president, deputy president, governors and deputy governors are required to hold a degree from recognised institutions.
The constitution and the County Government Act currently do not specify academic qualifications for MCAs.
These proposals are made in a move aimed to improve the quality of leadership as some leaders have been accused of passing substandard laws and not understanding basic principles of devolution, economics and finance.
The chair also proposed that political parties should nominate candidates for by elections 55 days instead of the current 45 to give the commission enough time to solve nomination related grievances.
IEBC also called for the banning of mini-polls six months before general elections.
The proposals stirred a heated debate in parliament with some MPs voicing their opposition.
