Dr. Magare Gikenyi, a surgeon and rights activist from Nakuru, has filed a lawsuit against the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) over the July 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, alleging that the decision violates students’ rights.
In his legal petition, Dr. Gikenyi contends that the new July exam schedule was imposed without proper public consultation, claiming that stakeholders were excluded from the decision-making process.
One of his key concerns is that the revised guidelines create two distinct categories of candidates: one group with a shortened preparation period (July), and another with a longer revision time (November).
He argues that this distinction lacks justification and violates students’ constitutional rights under Articles 27, 24, 10, 73, and 75.

Dr. Gikenyi also points out that national exams have historically been held in November, which has led students to reasonably expect the chance to retake the exams if they fail.
He asserts that altering the exam dates without consulting students, parents, and other stakeholders undermines their legitimate expectations and their right to fair administrative action, as guaranteed by the Constitution.
The lawsuit seeks to have the July 2025 KCSE exams canceled.