Published: Thursday 29 June, 2023

Authors: Hannah Collins, Amos Tirra, Jaqueline McGlade, Henrietta Moore and Arno Scharl.

The relatively new democratic system in Kenya is complex and often negotiable, further complicated by the shifting landscape and impact of social media. This working paper explores the history of democracy in Kenya and presents the instrumentalisation of ethnic identities by key political figures using Social Cleavage Theory. A web-based analysis of social and news media, and qualitative data collected from focus group discussions with key community leaders are presented to interrogate the drivers of the 2022 election outcome. From the findings we offer recommendations on how the electoral system in Kenya can be further safeguarded to ensure that democracy in Kenya works for the prosperity of the citizens, not just of the politicians.

Read the full Working Paper here