Comments on the recent elections in Kenya, from Prof Jesse
Mugambi

The people of Kenya have just undergone a process comparable only
to the attainment of national sovereignty in December 1963.
Today, Monday 30th December, more than 500,000 people flocked to
Uhuru Park, Nairobi, to witness the swearing-in of the Republic's
Third President, Mwai Kibaki.

He won with more than two million votes more than those of his
closest presidential competitor. Most of those who attended the
function were born after 1963, and many were born after August
1978 when the incumbent took office.

In the Election conducted on 27th December, the National Rainbow
Coalition (NARC) won with a landslide majority. The risk in the
Ninth Parliament will be that the Opposition Party (KANU) which
has ruled Kenya since independence in 1963, is now numerically so
weak that it can hardly exert any significant influence, even if
it negotiates a coalition with the other opposition parties that
won a few seats. Such negotiation is unlikely to succeed, because
the weaker parties would find it more prudent to associate
themselves with the new ruling party.

During the past four decades KANU has so discredited itself in
public affairs that repairing the damage in the eyes of the
electorate might become an impossible task. NARC has nearly 130
seats in a Parliament of 210 elected members.

This number will be boosted by the additional nominated members,
of which NARC will be entitled to at least 6. The main Opposition
Party (KANU) has less than sixty, while the other small parties
have 20. Thus the winning coalition, which will become a Party in
the coming weeks, has an absolute majority, with nearly two
thirds of the parliamentary seats.

The Swearing-in ceremony was attended by presidents of the
neighbouring nations (Tanzania, Uganda) and also by the President
of Zambia, the Prime Minister of Rwanda and the wife of the cur-
rent President of South Africa. The Diplomatic Corps was in
attendance, together with the Election Observer Teams
representing the Commonwealth and the European Union. The handing
over ceremony was brief and exciting, though the people thronged
into Uhuru Park as early as dawn. After the incumbent delivered
his retirement message, the new leader delivered his maiden
speech, in which he reiterated the main pledges he and his team
had made to the electorate during the election campaign.

Kenyans are looking forward to a new beginning, with very high
expectations. The BBC, CNN and other media syndicates have
presented a positive coverage of this peaceful transition,
emphasising that Kenya has set an example which other African
nations would do well to emulate.

It is our hope that these positive and constructive observations
will be sustained during the Ninth Parliament.

From an analytical perspective, this is the first 'democratic'
election that Kenyans have enjoyed. The First president,
Kenyatta, became the national leader by public acclaim, at a time
when the electorate had no experience of multi-party elec-
tioneering. The Second president acceded to power also by
acclaim, after the death of his predecessor. This is the first
time that Kenyans have had the opportunity to participate in a
change of national leadership through a competitive multi-party
election. The experience is almost like that of France in 1789 or
that of the USA in 1776. Expectations of change are heard
everywhere, throughout the Republic.

It has been a satisfying experience for me to grow up, study and
serve in my country continuously all these years. Growing up
under colonial rule as a 'subject', amongst imperial 'citizens',
I could experience and tell the difference between colonial rule
and national sovereignty. After enjoying the euphoria of a young
nation, later suffering disillusionment after flagrant abuses of
power and mismanagement of the national economy, one has reason
to hope that lessons from past mistakes will provide instructive
sign-posts for our national future.

 In Kenya the Year 2003 begins with a message of hope, as was the
case at the beginning of 1964. We pray that this hope will be
sustained and substantiated. Please remember us in your prayers
as we embark on the uncharted paths of the new era. Your support
in any way possible will be greatly appreciated. In particular,
there is a great deal of work to do in improving our public and
international profile.

Prof. Jesse N.K. Mugambi
Kenya.
jmugambi{at}iconnect.co.ke

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