Kenya goes to the polls for its second General Elections after the promulgation of its Constitution in 2010 to elect its 5th president and fill the expanded political elective offices both at the National and Devolved County Governance structures.
Tuesday’s elections are also the sixth since the institution of multiparty elections.
In June 1982, Kenya was officially declared a one party state by Parliament and the constitution was amended accordingly. Parliamentary elections were held in September 1983 under a single party system for the first time since independence and the 1988 elections reinforced the one party system.
However, in December 1991, Parliament annulled the one party section of the constitution. Consequently, new parties were formed in early 1992 and in December of that year, multiparty democracy was restored and elections were held with several parties participating.
Eight candidates are contesting for the presidency – Uhuru Kenyatta of Jubilee Party, ODM’s Raila Odinga, Cyrus Jirongo of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Ekuru Aukot of Thirdway Alliance, Abduba Dida of the Alliance for Real Change (ARC), and Independent candidates Joseph Nyagah, Michael Wainaina and Japheth Kavinga.
The seat for County Ward Representative has attracted the most number of candidates totaling 11,857 followed by the position of the member of National Assembly where 1,893 candidates have been cleared to run. The Senate contest has attracted 256 contestants while 299 women have been cleared to contest for the 47 County Woman Representative posts across the country. IEBC cleared 210 candidates to vie for various gubernatorial posts across the country.
Indeed, this is the most competitive elections with 14,550 candidates competing for the 1,882 elected posts of president, governor, senator, women representatives, members of parliament, and members of county assembly. In 2013, 12,776 aspirants competed.
Further, it is the most expensive election ever held with Kshs 49.9 billion expected to be expended by the electoral body, up from Kshs 35.0 billion in 2013, as per the Pre-Election Economic and Fiscal Report.
“As a nation, we have never been more prepared in terms of electoral governance and oversight, with an independent judiciary, we have taken lessons from the last two elections, which have ended up being contested, and a lot of the electoral matters have been litigated upfront,” Cytonn Investments said on Monday in an investor brief.
NASA final rally at Uhuru Park, Nairobi
As Kenyans head to the polls, the lead-up to contest has been characterized by disagreements over the electoral rules and the impartiality of the electoral body.
Kenya implemented biometric voter registration and identification before its 2013 general elections, but procurement, management, and technical problems led many Kenyans to question the integrity of the electoral commission.
“Nothing kindles democracy’s energies, anxieties, hopes, and frustrations like an election. The quality of an election can spell the difference between a cooking fire and an explosion,” according to the Afrobarometer Policy Paper No. 35 – ‘Election quality, public trust are central issues for Africa’s upcoming contests.
Consequently, the country continues to be tagged along ‘tribal lines’ however, Aquiline Tarimo, in his paper, “Politicisation of Ethnic Identities and the Common Good in Kenya”, has stated that, “If ethnic identities are constructively appropriated they could become a national treasure. Ethnic identities are not evil in themselves as it has been portrayed by the forces of colonisation and post-colonial politics. Ethnic identities become harmful when manipulated for self-interest.”
