Kenyan general election, 2007

Kenyan general election, 2007
Name	2007 Kenyan general election
Date	27 December 2007
Country	Kenya
Type	Presidential and Parliamentary
Registered voters	12,300,000 (approx.)
Turnout	70% (approx.)
Previous election	2002 Kenyan general election
Next election	2013 Kenyan general election

Kenyan general election, 2007 The 2007 national polls in Nairobi were contested amid intense competition between Mwai Kibaki, Raila Odinga, Orange Democratic Movement, Party of National Unity, and multiple provincial, ethnic, and regional actors including Kikuyu, Kalenjin, Luo, Coast Province, and Rift Valley. Observers from European Union election observation missions, Commonwealth of Nations, African Union technical teams, and civil society groups such as Transparency International and Human Rights Watch monitored the vote amid controversies involving the Electoral Commission of Kenya, media outlets like the Daily Nation, and constitutional debates linked to the 1997 Kenyan Constitution and proposals for a new constitution.

Background

The contest followed the 2002 defeat of Daniel arap Moi patronage networks and the rise of a coalition that brought Mwai Kibaki to power, splintering into factions such as National Rainbow Coalition, Party of National Unity, and Orange Democratic Movement as personalities including Raila Odinga, Kalonzo Musyoka, Musalia Mudavadi, and Wycliffe Musalia vied for influence. Regional tensions invoked histories tied to Land Reform disputes, the Lancaster House legacies, the Mau Forest controversies, and postcolonial settlement patterns in Central Province and Western Province. International links included economic conditionalities from the International Monetary Fund, investment ties to World Bank programs, and diplomatic engagement from United States Department of State envoys, European Commission representatives, and United Kingdom Foreign Office officials.

Electoral system and preparations

Kenya used a first-past-the-post system for the National Assembly and a plurality for the presidency requiring thorough registration by the Electoral Commission of Kenya under laws amended after the 1998 Constitution Amendment debates; preparations involved logistical coordination with the Ministry of Finance, security planning with the Kenya Police, and technical support from agencies such as the International Foundation for Electoral Systems and observers including the Commonwealth Observer Group. Voter registration campaigns reached constituencies in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nyanza Province, and Eastern Province, while disputes arose over the use of vote tallying forms, the printing contracts awarded to local firms with ties to elites from Kiambu County and Uasin Gishu County, and procurement overseen by officials linked to political networks around State House.

Candidates and campaigns

The main presidential contenders were Mwai Kibaki of the Party of National Unity and Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement; other notable figures included running mates drawn from Kikuyu and Kalenjin constituencies, and parliamentary slates featuring leaders such as Musalia Mudavadi, Kalonzo Musyoka, and William Ruto. Campaign messaging used rallies in Uhuru Park, televised debates on Citizen TV and KTN, and manifestos referencing reform agendas tied to commissions like the Waki Commission and proposals for a new constitution championed by civil society actors including Kenya Human Rights Commission and International Commission of Jurists. Funding and patronage networks connected candidates to business groups with interests in Nairobi Securities Exchange, agricultural constituencies in Rift Valley, and infrastructure projects influenced by donors such as the African Development Bank.

Election day and results

Polling on 27 December 2007 produced contested tallies reported by the Electoral Commission of Kenya alongside statements from international observers including teams from the European Union and the Commonwealth. The commission announced a victory for Mwai Kibaki, prompting parallel claims and documented discrepancies raised by Raila Odinga supporters, legal teams that invoked procedures under the High Court of Kenya, and media investigations by outlets such as the Standard Group and The East African. Results for the National Assembly saw intense contests in constituencies across Nyanza Province, Coast Province, and Rift Valley, with several re-run demands and litigation before judicial bodies.

Post-election violence and crisis

Following the announcement, widespread unrest erupted in Rift Valley, Nakuru County, Kisumu, and parts of Western Province, involving clashes between communities aligned with Kikuyu and Kalenjin identities, militia formations linked to local leaders, and police operations led by the Kenya Police and regular forces. Humanitarian crises prompted interventions by the United Nations agencies including UN High Commissioner for Refugees and UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, mass displacement into camps in Eldoret and Naivasha, and investigations into human rights abuses by bodies such as Amnesty International and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. International mediation efforts mobilized envoys including Kofi Annan representing a panel involving the African Union and governments like United Kingdom and United States diplomatic services.

Aftermath and reforms

A mediated power-sharing agreement brokered by Kofi Annan resulted in a coalition government formation that included portfolios shared between Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, and the creation of commissions such as the Waki Commission and Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission reference points for accountability. Constitutional reform accelerated, culminating in the 2010 Constitution of Kenya promulgation that reconfigured institutions including the Supreme Court of Kenya, devolved county governments across 47 counties, and revamped the Electoral Commission of Kenya into the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. Reforms also addressed land adjudication via the National Land Commission and implemented recommendations from international inquiries involving prosecutors from the International Criminal Court that impacted figures such as William Ruto and Uhuru Kenyatta.

Category:Elections in Kenya