For Kenyans, 2022 brings hope and fear

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For Kenyans, 2022 brings hope and fear

As in the rest of the world, 2021 has not been the best of years for democracy in Africa.

It is in this febrile environment that Kenyans are preparing to face their own election demons in eight months’ time. The country has had a complicated relationship with polls, especially presidential ones. They have sometimes been tools for the expression of popular will, as was the case in 2002 when former dictator President Daniel arap Moi’s preferred successor Uhuru Kenyatta lost by a landslide.

However, just five years later, the country would almost rip itself apart following disputed election results. Ever since, elections have become occasions that inspire great hopes for change as well as a terrible fear of what they might bring.

Today, as the country stares down the barrel of yet another election, there are again reasons for optimism and pessimism. The courts have in the past year demonstrated courage in defence of the constitution, putting the brakes on Kenyatta’s (and his new pal Odinga’s) attempts to change it.

Further, the electoral system has not been reformed since the debacle of 2017 and remains prone to abuse. In fact, many of the people who oversaw that election are still in place. There is little reason to believe that they will not again prove useful to folks trying to steal the elections.





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