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FACTSHEET: 22 quick facts about Kenya’s 2022 election

Been living under a rock lately? If so, let us bring you up to speed on what you should know about one of the most-watched elections on the continent.

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1) The election date: Kenya goes to the polls on 9 August 2022. The constitution requires the general election to be held on “the second Tuesday in August, in every fifth year”. The previous election was on 7 August 2017. The 2022 poll is the third general election under the country’s 2010 constitution.

2) The election management body: The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, widely known as the IEBC, is constitutionally mandated to conduct the election. It has seven commissioners

3) Registered voters: The electoral commission says there are 22,120,458 registered voters. 

Voter registration

Registration

Voters

National

22,102,532

Prisons

7,483

Diaspora

10,443

Total

22,120,458

Source: IEBC

4) Men and women: According to the electoral commission, 49.12% of registered voters are women and 50.88% are men. 

5) Age: An estimated 39.84% of voters are under 35. 

6) Prisoners: In Kenya, prisoners can vote, but only in the presidential election. There are 7,483 prisoners registered to vote in the 2022 election. 

7) Registered prisoners: Kamiti main prison has the highest number of registered prisoners, with 724. By contrast, Kitui women prison and Busia women prison wing each have one. 

8) Diaspora: Kenyans living abroad in 12 countries are also eligible to vote, in embassies and consulates. The countries are Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, South Africa, South Sudan, Germany, United Kingdom, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Canada and the US. Ballot_Insert

9) Registered diaspora voters: Qatar has the highest number of registered voters (1,437), who may vote at the Kenyan embassy in Doha. Burundi has the lowest number, with 201.  

10) By county: Of Kenya’s 47 counties, the capital of Nairobi county has the highest number of registered voters, with 2,415,310. Lamu county has the fewest, with 81,453

11) By constituency: Of Kenya’s 290 constituencies, Ruiru has the highest number of registered voters, with 172,088. Lafey has the least: 18,564 voters.

12) The jobs: There are 16,098 candidates chasing 1,882 elective seats.  

Vacant seats in Kenya’s 2022 election 

Elective seat

Vacancies

President

1

County governor

47

Senator

47

County woman representative

47

Member of national assembly

290

Member of county assembly

1450

Total

1,882

SOURCE: IEBC

13) The main prize: There are four presidential candidates. There’s no female candidate. 

14) Running mates: There are three female presidential running mates and one male running mate. One of them will become the deputy president. 

Presidential candidate

Running mate

William Samoei Ruto

Rigathi Gachagua (M)

Raila Odinga

Martha Wangari Karua (F)

George Luchiri Wajackoyah

Justina Wangui Wamae (F)

David Mwaure Waihiga

Ruth Wambui Mucheru (F)

15) The governors: Tana River and Taita Taveta both have 13 governorship candidates, the highest number in all counties. Narok has the lowest number of gubernatorial candidates, at two. At least 266 candidates are vying to be one of the country’s 47 governors, one of the most coveted elective positions.

16) The senators: The two counties of Vihiga and Nairobi have 14 candidates vying to be senator – the highest number of the 47 counties. Three counties – Uasin Gishu, Nandi and Kisumu – each have two candidates. There are at least 341 candidates in the running to be one of 47 senators nationally. 

17) The women reps: The southwestern county of Kisii has the highest number of women vying to be a county woman representative in the national assembly, with 14. Uasin Gishu county in the Rift Valley has the least number, at two. Neighbouring Kericho county has only one candidate, Beatrice Kemei, who is set to be declared elected unopposed. There are 359 candidates seeking the 47 counties’ woman representative vacancies. 

18) The MPs: At least 70 of 290 constituencies have more than 10 candidates vying to be their member of parliament. Four have the highest number of candidates, with 16. They are Mvita, Gatundu North, Kajiado North and North Mugirango. There are at least eight constituencies with only two candidates each: Kitui Rural, Tinderet, Baringo Central, Kipkelion East, Ainamoi, Khwisero, Suba North and Rongo.

19) Timelines: The constitution requires the electoral commission to declare the results of the presidential election within seven days after voting day, and deliver a written notification of the result to the chief justice and the incumbent president

To be declared the winner of the presidential vote, a candidate must get more than half of all the votes cast in the election and at least 25% of the votes cast in each of at least 24 counties.

20) A run-off: If the candidate with the highest number of votes fails to meet this criteria, a second-round election between the top two candidates must be held within 30 days. 

21) Disputes: Anyone wanting to challenge the results of a presidential election must file a case in the Kenyan supreme court within seven days of the result declaration. The court has to determine the validity of the election within 14 days after the petition is filed. If the court nullifies the election, a fresh election must be held within 60 days. This has happened once before, after the 2017 election.

22) Curtains: The term of current president Uhuru Kenyatta, who was first elected in 2013, ends on the day the new president is sworn in. Kenyatta is the country’s fourth president since independence.

Additional reporting by Gloria Mwivanda and Makinia Juma
 

UPDATE (11/08/2022): We have corrected the number of registered prisoners in entry 6). The accurate number of registered prison voters is 7,483  and not 10,443 as earlier published. The error is regretted.

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Further Reading

Hey, kindly check point number 6. How many registered voters are there in prison is it 7,483 or 10,443. In point number 3, you say 7,443, then in 6 you say 10,443. According to IEBC Data, 7,483 is for prisons and 10,443 for diaspora.

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