The politics and controversies of Kenya's 2017 general election
The opposition alliance formed in an attempt to oust Kenya's ruling party announced its flag-bearer in Nairobi on Thursday. The National Super Alliance (NASA) is the newest player in an election already marred by chaos.
NASA's attempt to oust ruling party
The National Super Alliance (NASA) has announced former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, 72, as its presidential candidate. Odinga, a veteran opposition leader, will face his last shot at the presidency after losing three past elections. NASA agonized over which flag-bearer will attract the most votes from key ethnic groups.
Taking on new members from key areas
NASA is going up against current President Uhuru Kenyatta, who is seeking a second and final term with his ruling Jubilee Party. Last week, the alliance ushered in Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto as a new co-principal. The leader of the southwest region brings with him support from Kenya's Rift Valley, the largest province in the country.
Voting a decade on from deadly political violence
Kenya's 2017 general elections are scheduled for August 8. This year, around 19 million Kenyans have registered to vote, pending a final audit to remove dead voters or duplicated listings. The vote comes a decade after disputed poll results fueled fighting that left more than 1,100 dead and hundreds of thousands displaced.
Unexpected voter turnout
Last week, unexpectedly large voter turnout in Kenya's ruling party primaries forced overwhelmed authorities to reschedule the vote. President Kenyatta said his Jubilee Party took the "unprecedented and difficult decision to cancel the entire nominations exercise." The high turnout led to a shortage of voter materials. Voting resumed on Monday.
Election-fueled violence
This year's primaries to choose candidates for local government and parliament have already been affected by violence. Dozens were injured earlier this month at the Nairobi headquarters of opposition party Orange Democratic Movement when supporters of one senate nominee drew guns claiming her rival had already secured the party ballot. Last week, President Kenyatta warned against ongoing violence.
Allegations of fraud
This year's vote has also been rocked by allegations of fraud. Opposition leader Raila Odinga claimed he discovered his own identity card had been used to register other people. In 2013, electronic tallying equipment failed, sparking concerns of vote rigging. Kenyatta approved a law in January requiring manual voting backup options should electronic systems fail.
The role of ethnicity and tribalism
People in Kenya vote largely along ethnic lines. Political alliances depend on who can lure votes from Kenya's five most influential ethnic groups. Kenyatta is seeking a final term, running alongside his deputy William Ruto. The two men allied in 2013, bringing together two ethnic groups: Kenyatta's majority Kikuyu and Ruto's Kalenjin, who had violently clashed in 2007.