Kenyan parliamentary election, 2007

Infobox Election
election_name = Kenyan parliamentary election, 2007
country = Kenya
type = parliamentary
ongoing = no
previous_election = Kenyan parliamentary election, 2002
previous_year = 2002
next_election =
next_year =
seats_for_election = 210 (of the 224) seats to the National Assembly of Kenya
election_date = December 27, 2007


leader1 = Raila Odinga
party1 = Orange Democratic Movement
leaders_seat1 = Langata
last_election1 = –
seats1 = 99
seat_change1 = –
popular_vote1 =
percentage1 =


leader2 = Mwai Kibaki
party2 = Party of National Unity (Kenya)
leaders_seat2 = Othaya
last_election2 = –
seats2 = 43
seat_change2 = –
popular_vote2 =
percentage2 =
percentage3 =
title = PM
before_election = "Abolished"
before_party =
after_election = Raila Odinga
after_party = Orange Democratic Movement Parliamentary elections in Kenya were held as part of the Kenyan general election on December 27 2007; presidential elections were held on the same date. [ [http://eastandard.net/archives/?mnu=details&id=1143976542&catid=4 ECK sets poll date as Raila maintains lead] "The Standard", October 26, 2007]

These parliamentary elections were held to be free and generally fair as opposed to the contested presidential elections. They were remarkable for a number of changes. Amongst these were:
*Out of 190 outgoing MPs defending their seats only 71 were re-elected.
*20 ministers defending their seats were defeated
*KANU the official opposition party of 2002 which later joined the government was reduced from 62 to 14 seats.
*15 female candidates were elected which is the highest number ever in Kenyan history (2002: 9) [http://eastandard.net/news/?id=1143980366&cid=15 Election had its bright side despite the gloom "EA Standard January 14, 2008"]

Preparations

Election Process

The 9th Parliament of Kenya was dissolved on Monday October 22 2007 [ [http://eastandard.net/news/?id=1143976374 "Curtain falls on Ninth Parliament"] , "The Standard", October 23, 2007.] The date, was officially announced on October 26, 2007 by the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK), stating the elections will be held on Thursday December 27, 2007. This made it possible for the Speaker to issue writs to the seating MPs thereby declaring the 210 MP positions vacant. The ECK then declared the date on which the general elections would be held. Contenders are required to gain nominations on any of the 144 registered parties [Electoral Commission of Kenya, September 25, 2007: [http://www.eck.or.ke/downloads/politicalparties2.pdf List of registered political parties] ] in order to qualify to be on the ballot. A simple majority is required to win a parliamentary election. The winners will be elect-MPs until the official swearing ceremony for the 10th Parliament.

Nominations Timeline

The Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) had initially set a deadline of November 19, 2007 for submitting the list of contenders to prevent losers from defecting after losing in their parties. The ECK later retracted and allowed losers to defect to minor parties [ [http://politics.nationmedia.com/inner.asp?fs=1&sid=801 ECK and parties in nominations deal] "Daily Nation", November 6, 2007] . ODM, PNU and ODM-K held their nomination elections on November 16, 2007. The final list of successful nominees were formally submitted to the ECK on November 23, 2007 and November 24, 2007.

Primaries

Former interior minister Chris Murungaru and Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai failed to win ruling party nomination in Kenya's parliamentary primaries. Maathai lost Party of National Unity nomination and decided to defect to a smaller party. Murungaru, a close ally of Kibaki, lost out to a little known trader. [ [http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0%2C%2C2-11-1447_2223090%2C00.html Upset in Kenyan primaries] News24]

The primaries of all the three main parties (ODM, ODM-K and PNU) were termed as chaotic and were marred by irregularities and violence. Numerous candidates defected to smaller parties after failing to get candidature by their respective parties [BBC News, November 20, 2007: [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7103746.stm Chaos mars Kenyan party primaries] ] .

Campaign Issues

* Appropriations of Constituency Development Fund(CDF) money
* MP's Salary hikes
* Legislation passed/(not passed) in the 9th Parliament.

Statistics

A record number of 2,548 candidates will vie for a parliamentary seat, compared to 1,033 candidates at the previous parliamentary elections in 2002. This despite the number of constituencies (210) has remained the same Daily Nation, November 29, 2007: [http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=111566 2,600 candidates in battle for MPs’ seats ] ] The Standard, November 29, 2007: [http://www.eastandard.net/news/?id=1143978137 The ECK final list] ] . There is a record number of women candidates, 269b] .

ODM has the highest number of candidates (190), followed by KENDA (170), PNU (135), ODM-Kenya (135), Kaddu (97) KANU (91), Safina (88), NARC (73), DP (86) and Narc-Kenya (59). Total of 108 parties have fielded parliamentary candidates, another record b] . For the first time in Kenyan general elections, no party field a candidate in every constituency. Previously, KANU had every time fielded candidates in all constituencies b] .

Kitutu Masaba Constituency has the highest number of candidates (33), all of them contesting for a single parliamentary seat and each representing different parties respectively. All 210 constituencies will have at least two candidates. Thus, unlike previous general elections, there are no constituencies with a single candidate b] .

All nine presidential candidates will also contest for a parliamentary seat as required by Kenyan law. The presidential election winner must also win a parliamentary seat in order to be named a president b] .

There are 14,296,180 registered voters. A portion of 68.8% of the electorate are aged between 18-40, with the remaining 31.2 being older people b] .

Results

Preliminary results showed that Vice-President Moody Awori and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai lost their parliamentary seats. Other notable politicians with the same fate included Mutahi Kagwe, Musikari Kombo, Simeon Nyachae, Nicholas Biwott, Chris Murungaru, Mukhisa Kituyi, Raphael Tuju, Kipruto Kirwa, Njenga Karume and Gideon Moi, the son of former president Daniel arap Moi. [Kenya Broadcasting corporation, December 28, 2007: [http://www.kbc.co.ke/story.asp?ID=47378 Parliamentary preliminary results] ] [The Standard, December 28, 2007: [http://eastandard.net/news/?id=1143979601 VP, Ministers lose parliamentary seats] ] [Kenya London News, December 28, 2007: [http://kenyalondonnews.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=955&Itemid=1 'Rattler' John Michuki Survives in Kangema but Newton Kulundu falls in Western] ] [The Standard, December 29, 2007: [http://eastandard.net/news/?id=1143979637&catid=4 President’s powerful lieutenants lose seats] ]

Parliamentary election results were canceled in Kamukunji, Kilgoris and Wajir North and were to be repeated some time in future. [ [http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=39&newsid=114222 Changing standing orders should top agenda as Parliament convenes] "Daily Nation" January 9, 2008]

By-elections

June 2008

Following the election, two ODM MPs—Mugabe Were [ [http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/01/29/kenya.violence/ "Annan begs for calm in Kenya after lawmaker's killing"] , CNN, January 29, 2008.] and David Kimutai Too [Jeffrey Gettleman, [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/01/world/africa/01kenya.html "Second Lawmaker Is Killed as Kenya's Riots Intensify"] , "The New York Times", February 1, 2008.] —were killed during the post-election crisis, which was the result of a dispute over the results of the presidential election. As a result, by-elections were needed in their constituencies; additionally, by-elections had to be held in two constituencies in the Rift Valley where results were never announced due to violence. Kenneth Marende was elected as Speaker of Parliament following the election, leaving his seat vacant and requiring another by-election to be held in his constituency. [http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=nw20080610182455856C880094 "Two Kenyan government ministers die"] , Sapa-AFP ("IOL"), June 10, 2008.] The ODM was left with 96 seats at this point.

These five by-elections were held on June 11 2008. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7450538.stm "ODM wins three Kenya by-elections"] , BBC News, June 12, 2008.] On June 10, two ministers—Minister of Roads Kipkalya Kones and Assistant Minister of Home Affairs Lorna Laboso, both from ODM—were killed in a plane crash, leaving another two seats vacant (and reducing ODM to 94 MPs).Fact|date=June 2008 They had been going to the Rift Valley for the by-elections at the time of the accident.

Three of the five by-elections were won by the ODM and two by the PNU. The ODM kept its seats in Emuhaya and Ainamoi constituencies; however, it lost the seat in Nairobi's Embakasi constituency to the PNU. Counting allied parties and MPs, ODM now has 103 MPs and PNU 104 MPs.

September 2008

By-elections were held in Bomet and Sotik constituencies on September 25 and were won by Beatrice Kones and Joyce Laboso respectively. Both seats were retained by ODM and were won by close relatives of their immediate predecessors, who died in an aviation accident in June: Beatrice Kones is the widow of Kipkalya Kones and Joyce Laboso is the sister of Lorna Laboso [The Standard, September 26, 2008: [http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1143995671&cid=4& ODM wins in Bomet and Sotik] ] .

References

External links

* [http://www.communication.go.ke/elections/constituency.asp Election results - Government Website]
* [http://www.eck.or.ke Electoral Commission of Kenya (not updated)]
* [http://www.eck.or.ke/downloads/2007%20General%20Elections%20Parliamentary%20Nominated%20Candidates.pdf List of Parliamentary candidates] (from ECK website)
* [http://kenyavotes.org/parl_candidates List of Parliamentary candidates] (sortable)
* [http://www.electionkenya.com Electionkenya.com]
* [http://politics.nationmedia.com Daily Nation - Kenya Elections 2007]
* [http://eastandard.net/electionplatform The Standard - Election Platform]