This archive report was first published on 22 September 2019.
Published on September 22, 2019, this article reflects on the 2017 Kenyan general election, which was marred by violence and controversy.
The election, held on August 8, 2017, was a far cry from a free and fair contest. Instead, it was a brutal display of power, with Uhuru Kenyatta emerging victorious, but at the expense of thousands of lives lost and countless others displaced.
As the country struggled to come to terms with the aftermath of the election, it became clear that the real battle had been won not by Kenyatta, but by the forces of impunity and ethnic cleansing.
Fast forward to October 26, 2017, and the country was once again plunged into chaos as the Supreme Court annulled the initial results, citing irregularities. However, the rerun election on October 26 only served to further entrench the status quo, with Kenyatta emerging victorious once more.
But what does this say about the state of Kenya's democracy? The answer lies in the fact that Kenyatta's victory was not a result of a free and fair election, but rather a product of the dark forces of power and impunity that have come to define the country's politics.
So, what now for Kenya? The answer lies in the need for electoral, economic, institutional, and political reforms. The 2010 Constitution, which devolved power to the counties, has been largely ignored, with the central government continuing to wield too much power.
It is time for Kenyans to demand a referendum to usher in a parliamentary system of government, reduce the counties to autonomous federal units, and give them control over their own taxes, social services, and political affairs.
Anything less would be a recipe for future internecine confrontations and a tailspin in Kenya's politics.
