Understanding the 2022 Kenyan presidential election outcome : insights from Key’s critical elections theory

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dc.contributor.author Ihembe, Martin Ayankaa
dc.contributor.author Ashindorbe, Kelvin
dc.contributor.author Onwuzuruigbo, Ifeanyi
dc.contributor.author Alumona, Ikenna Mike
dc.date.accessioned 2024-07-04T13:08:49Z
dc.date.issued 2024
dc.description.abstract The ethnicisation of election and the concomitant diffusion of violence has been widely explored in the literature on Kenyan presidential elections. However, the critical character of the elections has been understudied, especially as it concerns the depth and intensity of involvement occasioned by the realignment of political actors. Oftentimes, this has resulted in the emergence of fundamental changes in power dynamics. This study drew insights from Key’s critical elections theory to analyse the 2022 Kenyan presidential election. Relying on primary and secondary sources, the study contends that the election exhibited critical characteristics owing to the economic crisis and the accompanying hardship on Kenyans, which united the poor electorate behind then-candidate William Ruto. The election revealed a sharp alteration in the pre-existing cleavage within the electorate and a profound readjustment in power relations as Key’s theory posited. This was amply demonstrated by Raila Odinga’s alliance with Uhuru Kenyatta, his old political foe, and Ruto’s populist campaign tenor – hustlers versus dynasties. We argue that the hustler narrative transcended primordial identity because it resonated with the poor electorate irrespective of their ethnicity. Therefore, it is the dynastic realignment and Ruto’s pro-poor campaign strategy that effectively set the tone for a critical election. We concluded that despite the seemingly subpar performance of President Ruto, he is still the candidate to beat in the 2027 presidential election if Odinga wins the African Union Chairmanship election in 2025. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on presidential elections in Africa. en_US
dc.description.department Political Sciences en_US
dc.description.embargo 2025-12-20
dc.description.librarian hj2024 en_US
dc.description.sdg None en_US
dc.description.uri http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cafi20 en_US
dc.identifier.citation Martin Ayankaa Ihembe, Kelvin Ashindorbe, Ifeanyi Onwuzuruigbo & Ikenna Mike Alumona (2024): Understanding the 2022 Kenyan presidential election outcome: insights from Key’s critical elections theory, African Identities, DOI: 10.1080/14725843.2024.2365643. en_US
dc.identifier.issn 1472-5843 (print)
dc.identifier.issn 1472-5851 (online)
dc.identifier.other 10.1080/14725843.2024.2365643
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/96807
dc.language.iso en en_US
dc.publisher Routledge en_US
dc.rights © 2024 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This is an electronic version of an article published in African Identities, vol. , no. , pp. , 2024. doi : 10.1080/14725843.2024.2365643. African Identities is available online at : http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cafi20. en_US
dc.subject Critical elections en_US
dc.subject Elections en_US
dc.subject Ethnicity en_US
dc.subject Hustler dynasty en_US
dc.subject Kenya en_US
dc.title Understanding the 2022 Kenyan presidential election outcome : insights from Key’s critical elections theory en_US
dc.type Postprint Article en_US


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