Kenyans Vote for Change, Elect Mwai Kibaki

January 15, 2003

On December 27, Kenyans issued an overwhelming vote for change, electing opposition candidate Mwai Kibaki and ending the reign of the country's ruling KANU party.

The country's third attempt at multiparty elections, this landmark poll marked the retirement of one of Africa's last "big men," President Daniel Arap Moi, who had ruled Kenya for 24 years and was constitutionally ineligible from running again.

IRI Africa fielded a small observer mission in collaboration with African partners to monitor the polls and commissioned the country's first exit poll. The Kenya-based pollster firm Strategic Public Relations and Research Limited surveyed 5,473 registered voters across eight provinces.

During the pre-election period, IRI staff produced monthly reports for the international community. IRI provided briefings for each of the international observer missions prior to the election. IRI also worked with youth groups around the country on a nationwide get-out-the-vote campaign.

IRI began working in Kenya prior to the country's first multiparty elections in 1992.

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