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The Mirage of Issue-Based Politics in Africa. A Case Study of Kenya’s Presidential Election Campaigns from 2013-2022

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  • Omondi Denin Ominah

    (Central European University)

Abstract

Political analysts have often described elections in Africa as nothing but an ethnic census. However, the results of the 2022 Kenyan presidential elections showed members of the most populous ethnic group (Kikuyus) overwhelmingly vote against a member of their own ethnicity and sitting President. This raises the question: Is issue-based politics finally the main determinant of Kenyan presidential elections? Since the 2022 presidential elections is a fairly recent event, there is scant information on this supposedly new phenomenon. This study uses a combination of quantitative data, such as the outcome of the presidential elections and subsequent analysis from election observers and non-governmental agencies, and qualitative data, like opinion pieces from political scientists, politicians, academics, and the fourth estate. The research examines voting patterns of the largest ethnicities in Kenya for the past five elections in a bid to highlight any major changes in the voting patterns to justify claims of Kenyans embracing issue-based politics. The study reveals that although the Kikuyu voted against the candidate endorsed by one of their own in the 2022 presidential elections, what they were doing was voting against a candidate from an ethnicity they have always rejected. It confirms that although the results of the 2022 presidential elections seem to suggest otherwise, Kenya’s electorate has a long way to go in terms of embracing issue- based politics and making it a reality.

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  • Omondi Denin Ominah, 2023. "The Mirage of Issue-Based Politics in Africa. A Case Study of Kenya’s Presidential Election Campaigns from 2013-2022," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(10), pages 2444-2463, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bcp:journl:v:7:y:2023:i:10:p:2444-2463
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    References listed on IDEAS

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