THE PROS AND CONS OF ELECTIONS: KENYA GENERAL ELECTIONS (AUGUST 2022)
Abstract
The birth of 1992 democracy in Kenya called for a multi-party participation in Kenya’s electoral system. This also marked the emergence of the fourth republic, the longest republic after the attainment of independence in 1963. To have a successful administration of elections in Kenya, there are some key processes followed by the Electoral Commission in the administration of the free, fair and transparent elections. This study looked at Kenya General Multi Party Electoral Processes and Electoral Challenges, with regards to past seven general elections. This article asked what Kenya’s 2017 general elections tell us about the capacity of a new constitution to reduce the stakes of political competition and prospects of political instability. Three constitutional changes are particularly important: the adoption of a 50% + 1 threshold for the presidential election; the devolution of power to 47 county governments; and the introduction of a Supreme Court with the right to hear presidential electoral petitions. We found that the impact of the 2010 constitution had been mixed. The 50% plus 1 threshold encouraged coalition formation, but this dynamic had long been evident. Devolution had given a wider set of Kenyans a stake in the system, but also created new structures that can be used to channel dissent against the state. The Supreme Court demonstrated its capacity to act as an independent institution, but did little to sustain electoral legitimacy. Indeed, while the 2010 constitution was clearly reshaped the political landscape, it was a personal deal that ended the post-election impasse. The elections therefore demonstrate how formal institutions alone cannot change political logics and revealed the continued significance of individual politicians and informal institutions that may compete with or complement their formal counterparts.
Keywords: Elections, Ethnic politics, Kenya
CITATION: Rwigema, P. C. (2022). The pros and cons of elections: Kenya general elections (August 2022). The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 9 (3), 397 - 446.
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v9i3.2379
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