5 - Electoral Politics and Election Outcomes in Kenya
Corresponding Author(s) : Peter Wanyande
Africa Development,
Vol. 31 No. 3 (2006): Africa Development: Special Issue on Electoral Politic
Abstract
Kenya has held presidential, parliamentary and local government elections every five years since independence in 1963 in accordance with the country’s constitution. For most of the independence period the country operated a one party system of government. This was brought to an end in 1992 when the coun- try reverted to multi party democracy following an amendment to the relevant section of the presidential and National Assembly Elections Act. The change from one party to multi party system affected both the administration and legal environments in which elections occurred. Other factors that affected elections include ethnicity, clanism, nature of political parties, personality of individual politicians and in some cases religion. Voter turn out has been particularly high during multi party era and particularly more during the elections of 2002. This was due to two factors. First was the opposition unity prior to the elections and secondly the fact that Kenyans had the opportunity to elect a new president after 24 years of rule by President Moi. Moi had served his last term in accordance with the changes made to the relevant provisions of the presidential Elections Act in 1992, which for the first time limited presidential term to two five-year terms. Future elections are likely to be influenced by similar complex factors discussed in this paper.
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- Barkan, J., and Chege, M., 2000, ‘Kenya tries Again’, in Diamond L., and Plattner M.,
- Democratization in Africa, Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
- Chweya, Ludeki, ed., 2002, Electoral Politics in Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress. Dye, T. & Zeigler, H.,
- , The Irony of Democracy, Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/ Cole Publishing Company.
- Hogan, J., 1945, Election and Representation, Oxford: Cork University Press. Hyden, G., and
- Lesslie, M., 2003, Communications and Democratization in Africa,
- New Brunswick and London: Transaction Publishers.
- Institute for Education in Democracy, 1997, National Election Data Book, Kenya, 1963-1999.
- Jonyo, Fred, 2002, ‘Ethnicity in Multiparty Electoral Politics’, in Chweya, Ludeki,
- ed., Electoral Politics in Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress.
- Jonyo, Fred, 2003, ‘The Centrality of Ethnicity in Kenya’s Political Transition’, in Oyugi et al.,
- The Politics of Transition in Kenya: From KANU to NARC, Heinrich Ball Foundation.
- Lakeman. L., 1974, How Democracies Vote: A Study of Election Systems, London: Faber and Faber.
- Mackenzie, W., & Robinson, K., eds., 1960, Five Elections in Africa, London: Oxford University Press.
- Makumi, Mwagiru, 2002. ‘Elections and the Constitutional and Legal: regime in Kenya’, in Chweya,
- Ludeki, ed., Electoral Politics in Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress. McPherson, C. B., 1966, The Real
- World of Democracy, Oxford, Claredon Press. Mitullah, Winnie, 2002, ‘Democratization at Grassroots:
- Local government Elections in Kisumu Municipality’, in Chweya. Lufdeki, ed., Electoral Politicsin Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress.
- Moyo, J., 1992, Voting for Democracy, Harare: University of Zimbabwe Publications.
- Mulei, C., ‘Historical Perspectives of Elections in Kenya’, in The Electoral Environment in Kenya,
- An IED research project report, n.d.
- Nzomo, M., 1993, ‘Engendering Democratization in Kenya: A Political Perspective’, in Kabira et. al.
- eds., Democratic Change in Africa: Women’s Perspective, Nairobi: Acts Gender Institute.
- Oyugi, W. O., 1997, ‘Ethnicity in the Electoral Process: The 1992 General Elections in Kenya’,
- African Journal of Political Science, Vol. 2, No.1, 41-69.
- Rutten M., et al., eds., 2001, Out for the Count. The 1997 General Elections and Prospects for
- Democracy in Kenya, Kampala: Fountain Publishers.
- Wanjala, Smoking, 2002, ‘Elections and the Political Transition in Kenya’, in Mute, et al., eds.,
- Building an Open Society – The Politics: A Developmental Approach, Boston and Toronto: Little Brown and Company.
- Wanyande, P., 2002, ‘The Power of Knowledge: Voter Education and Electoral Behaviour in a Kenyan
- Constituency’, in Chweya L., ed., Electoral Politics in Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress.
- Wanyande, P., 2003, ‘Affirmative Action for Kenyan Women: An Analysis of the Relevant Provisions of
- the Draft Constitution’, in Perspectives on Gender Discourse, Henrich Boll Foundation, East and
- Horn of Africa Region.Wanyande.p
References
Barkan, J., and Chege, M., 2000, ‘Kenya tries Again’, in Diamond L., and Plattner M.,
Democratization in Africa, Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Chweya, Ludeki, ed., 2002, Electoral Politics in Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress. Dye, T. & Zeigler, H.,
, The Irony of Democracy, Pacific Grove, California: Brooks/ Cole Publishing Company.
Hogan, J., 1945, Election and Representation, Oxford: Cork University Press. Hyden, G., and
Lesslie, M., 2003, Communications and Democratization in Africa,
New Brunswick and London: Transaction Publishers.
Institute for Education in Democracy, 1997, National Election Data Book, Kenya, 1963-1999.
Jonyo, Fred, 2002, ‘Ethnicity in Multiparty Electoral Politics’, in Chweya, Ludeki,
ed., Electoral Politics in Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress.
Jonyo, Fred, 2003, ‘The Centrality of Ethnicity in Kenya’s Political Transition’, in Oyugi et al.,
The Politics of Transition in Kenya: From KANU to NARC, Heinrich Ball Foundation.
Lakeman. L., 1974, How Democracies Vote: A Study of Election Systems, London: Faber and Faber.
Mackenzie, W., & Robinson, K., eds., 1960, Five Elections in Africa, London: Oxford University Press.
Makumi, Mwagiru, 2002. ‘Elections and the Constitutional and Legal: regime in Kenya’, in Chweya,
Ludeki, ed., Electoral Politics in Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress. McPherson, C. B., 1966, The Real
World of Democracy, Oxford, Claredon Press. Mitullah, Winnie, 2002, ‘Democratization at Grassroots:
Local government Elections in Kisumu Municipality’, in Chweya. Lufdeki, ed., Electoral Politicsin Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress.
Moyo, J., 1992, Voting for Democracy, Harare: University of Zimbabwe Publications.
Mulei, C., ‘Historical Perspectives of Elections in Kenya’, in The Electoral Environment in Kenya,
An IED research project report, n.d.
Nzomo, M., 1993, ‘Engendering Democratization in Kenya: A Political Perspective’, in Kabira et. al.
eds., Democratic Change in Africa: Women’s Perspective, Nairobi: Acts Gender Institute.
Oyugi, W. O., 1997, ‘Ethnicity in the Electoral Process: The 1992 General Elections in Kenya’,
African Journal of Political Science, Vol. 2, No.1, 41-69.
Rutten M., et al., eds., 2001, Out for the Count. The 1997 General Elections and Prospects for
Democracy in Kenya, Kampala: Fountain Publishers.
Wanjala, Smoking, 2002, ‘Elections and the Political Transition in Kenya’, in Mute, et al., eds.,
Building an Open Society – The Politics: A Developmental Approach, Boston and Toronto: Little Brown and Company.
Wanyande, P., 2002, ‘The Power of Knowledge: Voter Education and Electoral Behaviour in a Kenyan
Constituency’, in Chweya L., ed., Electoral Politics in Kenya, Nairobi: Claripress.
Wanyande, P., 2003, ‘Affirmative Action for Kenyan Women: An Analysis of the Relevant Provisions of
the Draft Constitution’, in Perspectives on Gender Discourse, Henrich Boll Foundation, East and
Horn of Africa Region.Wanyande.p