Kenya

In 1992, the International Republican Institute (IRI) launched a new program in Kenya by leading an international observation mission for the landmark 1992 presidential elections, the first multiparty elections in independent Kenya. Since that time, IRI has developed a number of innovative programs in Kenya, including a poll watcher training program and a public opinion polling program.

Currently, IRI’s work is focused on empowering women, youth, and Muslims on the national political scene, as well as supporting parliamentarians from marginalized groups through capacity-building activities. IRI is also working with party parliamentary caucuses to strengthen their role in advancing their parties’ legislative agendas in parliament. In addition, IRI is planning to work with local governments on issues related to the use of constituency development funds and improving the delivery of government services to constituents.

Joint Agenda Building for Political Party Officials and Members of Parliament

IRI assists Kenyan political parties in developing joint-partnerships with their respective members of parliament in order to effectively advance party agendas in parliament. In the first phase of the program, IRI conducted frequent discussions and small workshops with parliamentarians to help them reorient their legislative strategies toward an agenda-based approach, while at the same time designing and articulating clear positions on important issues to the public. Although party alignment can change frequently in Kenya, IRI has continued to work with the major political parties in parliament.

Public Opinion Polling

IRI's public opinion polling program has have worked to improve both the process and popular perception of public opinion polling in Kenya, and advance it as a tool for political leaders to better understand citizen views.

IRI launched its polling program in 2000, bringing together a range of civil society and media representatives to discuss polling methodology, implement a survey, and discuss how to interpret the data from their survey results. In March 2001, IRI expanded its polling work with a new public policy decision-making program to provide information to political parties and parliamentary leaders in Kenya on how public opinion survey data can be used as a tool to determine public policy. In conjunction with this program, IRI provided a sub-grant to the Institute for Civic Affairs and Development in Nairobi to conduct a national poll. IRI conducted further polls in October and December 2001 and in April 2002, soliciting Kenyan's opinions on a variety of issues ranging from the 2002 elections, to the ongoing reform process. The survey results were widely covered by the Kenyan media and were featured in a number of international newspapers.

Following the November 2005 elections, IRI conducted nationwide opinion polls in June 2006, November 2006, March 2007 and September 2007, in an effort to inform political parties and the general public of current political trends, polling about such topics as security, the economy, women candidates in parliament, and the media.

Support to the Kenya Young Parliamentarians' Association

Established in 2004, the Kenya Young Parliamentarians' Association (KYPA), which brings together parliamentarians from different and often antagonistic political parties, has the potential to occupy an important place in the Kenyan political landscape. Younger politicians have fewer ties to corruption and power struggles, are more receptive to progressive ideas and are more willing to work across party lines, than their older colleagues.

IRI has supported the association in its strategic planning development and capacity building. IRI has also assisted the association in hosting policy forums which seek to make an input into important policy processes that touch on certain priority areas identified by the association. Given that KYPA's membership is comprised of less experienced politicians who are likely to serve much longer than their older counterparts, it is important that they are aware of new ideas and legislative techniques used by progressive legislative bodies in other countries. The new generation in parliament is Kenya's best hope for rooting out a mediocre and regressive parliamentary culture.

Campaign Schools for Women and Youth

In advance of the 2007 elections, IRI supported women, youth, and Muslim candidates running for office in a series of campaign schools designed to enhance the ability of candidates from marginalized groups to compete for elective office.

After independence in 1963, Kenya made a rapid transition from a multiparty state to a de facto, one-party state. Government opponents began pushing for democratic reforms at the end of the 1980s, which culminated in the 1991 constitutional amendment to drop the ban on multiparty politics. The reform movement fragmented in the lead up to the 1992 elections, giving President Daniel arap Moi and his ruling Kenyan African National Union (KANU) party a victory at the polls with a minority of the popular vote. Both the 1992 and 1997 elections, despite being viewed as free and fair by international observers, were marred by widespread allegations of irregularities, including outright election fraud and intimidation.

When Kenyans went to the polls on December 27, 2002, Mwai Kibaki garnered an overwhelming 62 percent of the vote to KANU candidate Uhuru Kenyatta's 31 percent. The historic elections were also notable for their largely transparent and peaceful nature. Despite allegations of vote-buying and discrepancies in the electoral register, international observers agreed that Kenyans were able to freely express their will through the ballot box. Following these landmark elections, Kenya's new government faced significant challenges to materializing its campaign promises into sound national policy, in particular the adoption of a new constitution.

Constitutional reform had been one of the major platforms for many opposition groups, including the parties that came together to form the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) prior to the 2002 elections. As part of a pre-election agreement reached among senior leaders within NARC and the various opposition groups, the proposed new constitution would create a position of prime minister that would in turn be filled by Raila Odinga, one of the key figures within NARC.

The defeat of the 2005 draft constitution was viewed by some as evidence that Kibaki had lost the support. Furthermore, the infighting that marred the constitutional drafting process prompted several senior NARC officials, including Odinga, to leave the party and form the Orange Democratic Movement. In spite of these setbacks, Kibaki managed to resurrect his political fortunes, and in 2007 announced the formation of a new political coalition, the Party of National Unity.

On December 27, 2007, Kenya held its fourth multi-party elections, and IRI deployed 32 international observers across the country’s eight provinces to monitor electoral processes. Following the closing of polls, early returns showed Odinga in the lead. However, when election results were finally announced after numerous delays and accusations of fraud, the Electoral Commission of Kenya declared Kibaki the winner. The announcement lead to post-election violence which claimed more than 1,500 lives, displaced nearly than 600,000 people, and caused millions of dollars in property destruction and lost revenue and wages.

On February 28, 2008, Kibaki and Odinga signed a power-sharing agreement brokered by former United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan. The agreement called for the establishment of a coalition government and the office of a prime minister, which was filled by Odinga.

The new coalition government now faces the considerable challenge of maintaining stability and promoting reconciliation, while attempting to address some of the underlying political and economic inequalities behind the post-election violence.

Political Overview

Head of State: President Mwai Kibaki

Head of Government: Prime Minister Raila Odinga

Type of Government: multi-party democracy

Suffrage: universal, age 18

Elections Calendar

Program Overview

Focus of Program: political party strengthening; women, youth and Muslim political participation; party parliamentary association strengthening

Funding Source: National Endowment for Democracy