Political Situation
Kenya is preparing for its first elections since 2007, when post-election violence resulted in 1,500 deaths and the displacement of more than 600,000. The passage of a new constitution in August 2010 introduced sweeping changes to the political system, including: the creation of a new devolved system of government that transfers authority for many government functions from the national level to 47 newly-created counties; reduced presidential powers; the introduction of a bicameral system; the introduction of majority and minority parties in the national assembly; a more defined separation of powers between the three branches of government; electoral reforms; a restructured judiciary; security sector and land reforms; affirmative action for under-represented groups; and an expanded bill of rights.
Many political and logistical obstacles will have to be overcome to ensure the successful implementation of the constitution and associated legislation, especially during the transition to devolved government. While progress has been made to provide some of the necessary foundations for general elections and the devolution process, the overall reform process has been marked by delays and uncertainties. Security issues, particularly in Coast Province, have become a concern, and are expected to intensify as Kenya moves closer to the March 4, 2013, elections. Confidence in the electoral process is decreasing, while expectations for ethnic tension and violence during the polls are increasing.
The success of devolution in Kenya will depend on the extent to which political leaders understand and respond to citizens’ concerns, share information freely, solicit feedback about their own performance, and respect the rights of minority populations. Going forward, government institutions, civil society, political parties and citizens face a challenging period as they prepare for the polls, and Kenyan leaders are under increasing pressure to continue rebuilding their country and avoid a repeat of the 2007 post-election crisis.
Political Parties
NDI has helped Kenya’s major political parties build consensus on issues of national importance, engage in dialogue with each other and the election commission, comply with the new constitution, and enhance their ability to represent citizens’ interests. NDI’s assistance has helped political parties improve their understanding of the needs and priorities of Kenyan citizens to develop representative, issue-based policy platforms.
Through work with parties and civil society, NDI also is helping women and young people overcome barriers to political participation. The Institute supports the Inter-Party Youth Forum, which brings together youth from the main political parties in Kenya. NDI also is helping women candidates share their platforms through radio programs during the campaign period.
NDI has contributed to the constitutional implementation process by supporting the participation of political parties and civil society organizations in discussions on what should be included in new legislation being debated in parliament. The Institute supported improved communications between political party leadership and the electoral commission during the reform process through the creation of political party liaison committees (PPLC). The PPLCs have been established nationally and in each of the 47 counties and provide a venue for regular dialogue on contentious issues during constitutional implementation. An NDI Leadership and Campaign Academy was created in 2011 to equip potential candidates with the knowledge and skills to run successful campaigns and become strong leaders once elected. It has trained 1,688 potential candidates, including more than 700 women. A manual accompanying the training has reached thousands more.
Election Observation
In addition to its work with political parties, NDI works with the Kenyan Election Observation Group (ELOG), a coalition of 10 civil society organizations, to independently monitor electoral and political processes. NDI is working to improve ELOG’s ability to function as a permanent, nonpartisan domestic election monitoring body. NDI helps ELOG use scientific methods and new technologies to improve the speed and impact of its election monitoring. During the 2010 constitutional referendum, NDI helped ELOG use short message service (SMS) technology to provide rapid reporting of both qualitative and quantitative information about the conduct of the referendum to the public and to the election commission.
NDI is supporting the ELOG deployment of short- and long-term observers to monitor and report on the electoral environment in the lead up to, during, and after election day, March 4. ELOG is monitoring and reporting on political and electoral violence, participation of traditionally underrepresented groups in the electoral process, the use of money in politics, and voter registration. NDI also helps ELOG and partners use mapping technology to visualize and analyze election information.
In May 2012, NDI hosted a pre-election delegation to Kenya to consider the state of electoral preparedness, review the broader political environment, examine factors that could affect the credibility of the electoral process, and offer recommendations to support increased dialogue and consensus building toward peaceful, credible elections. The delegation found that remarkable progress has been made in reforming Kenya’s election laws, and it developed a set of 44 recommendations to the electoral commission, political parties, religious and civil society leaders, and citizens to remove uncertainties that could threaten the integrity of the elections.
Contact Information
FFor more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:
Washington, D.C.
Alison Paul DeSchryver, senior program manager
(202) 728-5410
Share
Subscribe to updates about Kenya
