How well was Kenya prepared for its August 8 elections? The electoral commission and the ruling party said that planning is on track. The opposition and some independent observers, however, raised concerns over the possibility of violence at the polls. In an interview with the Africa Center, Kenyan academic and commentator Dr. Peter Kagwanja reflected on the history of Kenya’s democracy and examined the dynamics of the political situation.
- [0:30] – What makes the upcoming election so critical?
- [3:12] – What factors need to be in place to protect against electoral violence?
- [14:51] – Are Kenya’s indigenous early warning systems prepared to prevent election-related violence?
- [21:45] – How independent are Kenya’s electoral institutions and how are they perceived by the public?
Africa Center Experts
- Dorina Bekoe, Associate Professor of Conflict Prevention, Mitigation, and Resolution
- Godfrey Musila, Research Fellow
Additional Resources
- John Mukum Mbathu, “Foresight Africa 2017: Election Spotlight on Kenya,” Brookings Institution Blog, January 30, 2017.
- Sekou Toure Tondi, “Why So Tense? Kenya’s High Stakes Elections Explained,” African Arguments, May 8, 2017.
- Dorina Bekoe, “Ghana’s Peaceful Elections Built on Trust and Accountability,” Spotlight, Africa Center for Strategic Studies, March 30, 2017.
- Michael Cohen, “Your Guide to the Main Political Players in Kenya’s Elections,” Bloomberg, March 16, 2017.
- Peter Penar, Rose Aiko, Thomas Bentley, and Kangwook Han, “Election Quality, Public Trust Are Central Issues for Africa’s Upcoming Contests,” Afrobarometer Policy Paper No. 35, September 2016.
- Hawa Noor and Peter Aling’o, “Signs of Violence ahead of Kenya’s 2017 Elections,” Institute for Security Studies, June 17, 2016.
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