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Peace prevails in Kenya after election

Before the 2007 post-election violence that was said to have been spearheaded by the current president-elect Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto, Kenya had been known to be the most peaceful country in Africa.

This year’s presidential election that was held March 4 was one of the most watched events in the world as people were hoping and praying that a repeat of the previous election did not reoccur.

Tension has been felt before, during and after the people of Kenya cast their votes and anxiously waited a whole week for the announcement of the president elect. There was a sigh of relief when voting ended and the final tallying of the votes was announced.

In the emerging web of party relations where governors, senators and county representatives may come from diverse parties, bridge-building is required to make the new government work. Some pundits predicted a scenario of legal challenges to the election and potential melt-down, but the election seems to be a triumph of peace.

A sharp international spotlight on Kenya served to deter the threat of violence. But the election results show an almost even divide between Jubilee at about 50.3 percent and the rest of the parties at about 49.97 percent.

The results seem to have left a nation divided along a delicate majority-minority fault line. Strategically, the country must reconcile Mutahi Ngunyi’s “tyranny of numbers” with the dictates of an inclusive democracy to unite and build a just and stable future.

Kenya’s fourth Republic must invest in nation healing, reconciliation and bridge-building strategies as the basis of a just, united and prosperous Kenyan House.

The Daily Nation, one of Kenya’s largest newspapers, announced that this year was the costliest presidential election ever. No comprehensive figures are available, but it was estimated that the four leading coalitions spent 10 million Kenyan shillings ($115,000 USD) per day on helicopters alone. No mention has been made of the sources of these funds.

The front-running candidate for President, Raila Odinga, just turned 68, and some other parties are hinting that he might be too old. Odinga’s response was not to demonstrate his vigor by doing jumping jacks or going out for a run. Instead he said that those who are calling him old are his age mates, saying, “anyone past 50 years is not young.”

There are currently 52 registered political parties in Kenya – down from over 160 in 2007. Politicians also frequently jump from one party to another, something that happens very rarely in western countries.

Parties in Kenya also form pre-election coalitions in efforts to build up their chances of being on the winning bandwagon. That is especially important this year because the new constitution requires that the President win by 51 percent. So despite the large number of parties there are only eight candidates for President and only two of those were polling in double digits.

 

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