1. KENYA
By Sir David Ochieng
www.davidochiengfoundation.net

2. KENYA:
 Colonized by British
 Became independent in 1963
 Member of many international organizations including the Commonwealth
of Nations, the African Union and the United Nations
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Economy:
GDP: $61.65 billion
Unemployment rate: 40%
Industries: small-scale consumer goods (plastic, furniture, batteries,
textiles, clothing, soap, cigarettes, flour), agricultural products,
horticulture, oil refining; aluminum, steel, lead; cement, commercial ship
repair, tourism

3. KENYA CONTINUED…
 Population: 39,002,772 people
 Ages Structure:
• 0-14 years: 42.3%
• 15-64 years: 55.1%
• 65 years and over: 2.6%
• 12,200,000 between age 10-24 (about 31%)
 Ethnic Groups: Kikuyu 22%, Luhya 14%, Luo 13%, Kalenjin 12%, Kamba 11%, Kisii 6%, Meru 6%, other
African 15%, non-African (Asian, European, and Arab) 1%
 Religious Groups: Protestant 45%, Roman Catholic 33%, Muslim 10%, indigenous beliefs 10%, other 2%

4. BACKGROUND KENYAN POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT
Before Independence
Secret Kikuyu guerrilla group known as Mau Mau begins violent campaign against white settlers.
State of emergency declared. Kenyatta arrested.
1953 - Kenyatta charged with management of Mau Mau and jailed. KAU banned.
1960 - State of emergency ends. Britain announces plans to prepare Kenya for majority African rule. Kenya African
national Union (Kanu) formed by Tom Mboya and Oginga Odinga.
Independence
1961 - Kenyatta freed and assumes presidency of Kanu.
1963 - Kenya gains independence, with Kenyatta as prime minister.
1964 - Republic of Kenya formed. Kenyatta becomes president and Odinga vice-president.
1966 - Odinga, a Luo, leaves Kanu after ideological split, forms rival Kenya People's Union (KPU).
1969 - Assassination of government minister Tom Mboya sparks ethnic unrest. KPU banned and Odinga arrested.
Kanu only party to contest elections.
1978 - Kenyatta dies in office, succeeded by Vice-President Daniel arap Moi.
1982 June - Kenya officially declared a one-party state by National Assembly.

5. PERCENT OF VOTES FOR PRINCIPLE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES PER PROVINCE IN 1992
Nairobi
Coast
NE
Eastern
Central
Rift Valley
Western
Nyanza
Moi
16
62
72
37
02
71
39
15
Matiba
44
11
11
10
60
16
38
01
Kibaki
18
10
05
50
35
07
02
06
Odinga
20
14
08
02
01
05
17
60

6. 1969 - Assassination of government minister Tom Mboya sparks
ethnic unrest. KPU banned and Odinga arrested. Kanu only party
to contest elections.
1978 - Kenyatta dies in office, succeeded by Vice-President Daniel
arap Moi.
1982 June - Kenya officially declared a one-party state by
National Assembly.

7. KENYA CONT’D
1987 - Opposition groups suppressed. International criticism of political arrests and human rights abuses.
Multi-party elections
1991 December - Special conference of Kanu agrees to introduce a multi-party political system
1992 December - Moi re-elected in multi-party elections. Kanu wins strong majority.
1994 - Odinga dies.
1997 - Demonstrations calling for democratic reform. World Bank withholds disbursement of $5bn in structural
adjustment credit.
1997 December - Moi wins further term in widely-criticised elections. His main opponents are former vice-president
Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, son of Oginga Odinga.
2001 - Ethnic tensions culminate in thousands several violent clashes. In December flee and several people are killed in
rent battles involving Nubian and Luo communities in Nairobi's Kibera slum district.
2004 March-July - Long-awaited draft of new constitution completed. Document requires parliament's approval and
proposes curbing president's powers and creating post of prime minister. But deadline for enactment is missed.
2004 July-August - Food crisis, caused by crop failures and drought, dubbed "national
Parliament approves a draft constitution after days of violent protests in Nairobi over aspects of the draft which
demonstrators say give too much power to in the president's hands.
2005 November-December - Voters reject a proposed new constitution in what is seen as a protest against President

8. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION RESULTS 1997
Regions
Kibaki
Moi
Ngilu
Odinga
Wamalwa
Total
31.0%
40.6%
7.9%
10.8%
8.2%
Central Province
89.3%
5.6%
3.1%
0.7%
0.3%
Coast Province
12.8%
63.4%
9.4%
6.1%
2.8%
Eastern Province
28.5%
35.5%
33.6%
0.7%
0.7%
Nairobi Province
43.9%
20.6%
10.9%
16.3%
6.8%
North Eastern
21.2%
73.2%
0.4%
0.3%
4.6%

9. KENYA’S ELECTIONS
ackground
Dec 27, 2007
10th general election/4th multiparty
Flaws, irregularities 1992,1997, 2002
9 presidential candidates/2,547
parliamentary/15,331 local government
Highly contested PNU and ODM
Elect president/ parliament/local government
Voter Registration
• Registration record high 2007
• 14 million voters or 82% total eligible voter population
• Continuous registration system
• Discrimination, multiple registration,
• 1.2 million names of deceased
Voter education
• Electorate to understand process
• Anti-violence campaign
• Kimya campaign for high voter turnout
Candidate nominations
More than 100 registered parties
•Only 9 party candidates certified, one female
•No provision for independent candidates
•Pres nominations well conducted
•Parliamentary , civic chaotic, interference by party HQ
Koffi Anan, Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odinga

10. CAMPAIGN KENYA
• Free and fair environment
• Robust language, strong ethnic polarization, some clashes
• Kibaki (PNU) Kikuyu, Embu, Meru communities
• Political Platform=social economic record
• Raila Odinga (ODM) Luo, luhya, kalenjin
• Political platform=political, socio-economic reform, devolution of
power
Campaign financing
• Undisclosed, wealthy donors, int’l donors, abuse of incumbency
• Distribution of money, goods, etc
Media Environment
• Freedom of speech respected
• High level coverage during preparation, campaign
• Bias KBC coverage 76% for PNU
• Hate speech
• Radio, sms, internet,
• “settlers’, “lets claim our land”, “people of milk cut grass”aimed at kikuyu
• “Lazy”, “don’t work”, “don’t pay rent”, “murderer” Luo

11. ELECTION DAY
Voter turnout
 Record high, millions of 1st time voters,
 government ID
 20,000 polling stations
Election administration
 ECK, party agents, observers verify ballot Boxes
 Voter’s name verified against voter register
 3 ballots, pre-stamped,
Election observation
 17,000 domestic, 62 organizations
 EU, COMESA, EAC, IRI, Pan-African
 Movement, KEDOF
 Observer comments Peaceful & orderly
 manner
Irregularities
 Missing polling staff
 Late delivery election material
 Secrecy of votes breached
 Group voting

12. FINAL RESULTS KENYA ELECTIONS 2007
Counting & Tallying
•
•
•
•
Polling stationsconstituency levelECK
Irregularities
Returning officers in 21 constituencies
Turnover 100% in Kibaki strong hold after re-vote
Announcement
• ECK legalized to announce results
• Parliamentary announced 12/29presidential withheldPNU losses
• PNU, ODM pre-announce victoryclashes
• Dec. 30 ECK announcement of winner 47% to 43%Chaos1,000 dead, 500,000 IDP

13. RESULTS IN KENYA’S ELECTIONS
Results announcement
ECK legalized to announce results
Parliamentary announced 12/29presidential
withheldPNU losses
PNU, ODM pre-announce victoryclashes
Dec. 30 ECK announcement of winner 47% to 43%
Chaos1,000 dead, 500,000 IDP

14. KRIEGLER REPORT
“Countries such as Mexico, where there has been radical
electoral reform comparatively recently, have established a special electoral tribunal with
extensive power and exclusive jurisdiction in relation to elections. This may be costly but
has the great benefit of speed and special expertise. Then again, South Africa opted for a
special electoral court with exclusive and final jurisdiction consisting of three senior
members of the judiciary who ordinarily continue with their routine work but are on
standby to deal with electoral matters on an urgent and prioritised basis. Expedition has
thus been ensured with the prospect of some degree of specialist knowledge.”

15. ONE MAN HALF VOTE?
http://www.mapsofworld.com/kenya/kenya-ethnic-groups.html
“Most districts have populations that are
well above or below the mean population
of 103,000.”
http://www.uiowa.edu/~electdis/Kenya.htm
“the present system awarded KANU a higher “the current system favors the regions that support
the ruling party, KANU, and discriminates against the
proportion of seats (51%) than its proportion of
regions that support opposition parties. The extent to
the vote (43%)”
which this argument is valid is illustrated by the
results of the 1997 election. “

16. THE SYSTEM MATTERS
http://www.uiowa.edu/~electdis/Kenya.htm

17. NEW CONSTITUTION, NO NEW SYSTEM
Part 2—Composition and membership of Parliament
Membership of the Senate
125. (1) The Senate shall consist of—
(a) members elected one each by the counties, each county
assembly acting as an electoral college;
Membership of the National Assembly
126. (1) The National Assembly shall consist of—
(a)
members elected one each by the constituencies as may be provided by law;
Election of State President
162. (1) The election of the State President shall be by direct adult suffrage
through a secret ballot and shall be conducted in accordance with this
Constitution and any Act of Parliament regulating presidential
elections.