The 2013 presidential campaign of Raila Odinga, conducted under the CORD (Coalition for Reforms and Democracy) banner, was built on narratives of institutional accountability, inclusive governance, and Raila's positioning as the champion of those marginalized by previous regimes. Raila's campaign represented his third consecutive presidential attempt, following unsuccessful 2007 and 2010 candidacies, and attempted to mobilize constituencies disappointed by Kibaki's presidency and concerned about the continued concentration of power in the hands of Central Kenya's economic and political elite.
The CORD campaign narrative emphasized accountability for post-2007 election violence as a prerequisite for national reconciliation and healing. The campaign argued that the 2013 election presented an opportunity to break cycles of violence and impunity by electing a government committed to supporting International Criminal Court prosecutions and to implementing transitional justice mechanisms domestically. This accountability framing differentiated CORD from the Jubilee ticket, which the opposition characterized as attempting to evade justice and perpetuate impunity. The message resonated particularly with constituencies that had suffered in 2007 violence and those who believed that justice was essential for democratic consolidation.
The campaign also mobilized around a narrative of inclusive governance and devolution as a means to address historical regional inequality. The CORD messaging emphasized that previous Kikuyu-dominated regimes had concentrated resources in Central Kenya while neglecting peripheral regions, and that a CORD government would distribute resources equitably across all regions. This inclusive governance narrative appealed to regions outside the Kikuyu heartland and positioned CORD as the coalition capable of transcending ethnic voting patterns through policy commitments to universal benefit distribution.
Raila's campaign also emphasized his longstanding commitment to institutional reform and democracy. As a long-term opposition figure who had resisted authoritarian governance under Moi's dictatorship and contested elections in 2007 and 2010, Raila was positioned as the candidate most credibly committed to democratic institutions and constitutional government. The campaign narrative suggested that Raila's history of opposition struggle had prepared him uniquely to lead Kenya beyond ethnic voting patterns and toward a more institutionalized, procedural democracy.
However, CORD's campaign faced significant structural disadvantages relative to Jubilee. The coalition's resource base was substantially more limited, translating into less expansive media presence, fewer large rallies, and more constrained campaign organization. Additionally, CORD's internal coalition dynamics proved complicated: while nominally unified behind Raila, the coalition incorporated multiple parties and ethnic constituencies with sometimes divergent interests. The necessity of accommodating Kalonzo (Wiper), Mudavadi (ANC), and Wetangula (Ford-Kenya) within a single campaign framework created messaging challenges and reduced the coalition's capacity for bold or divisive positioning.
The campaign narrative regarding running mate selection was less distinctive than Jubilee's. The selection of Kalonzo Musyoka, while intended to strengthen CORD's appeal in Kamba regions and represent southern interests, failed to generate the momentum that the coalition sought. Kalonzo's prior experience as Vice President under Kibaki created ambiguity about his association with the previous regime that the CORD campaign had criticized. The Raila-Kalonzo ticket thus lacked the fresh partnership narrative that Uhuru-Ruto, despite its ICC complications, managed to project.
The CORD campaign attempted to mobilize urban youth, educated middle-class voters, and constituencies suffering from poverty and marginalization. Raila's appeal to young voters was substantial, particularly in urban areas and among voters concerned about corruption and institutional dysfunction. However, this urban coalition proved insufficient to overcome Jubilee's regional concentration in high-population areas and the rural Kikuyu and Kalenjin constituencies wherein Jubilee achieved overwhelming electoral superiority.
The campaign's inability to penetrate Jubilee's stronghold regions, combined with fragmentation within CORD's own coalition base, meant that Raila was unable to achieve the cross-regional vote consolidation necessary to overcome Jubilee's Kikuyu-Kalenjin advantage. The campaign concluded on March 4 with the election result, followed by Raila's decision to mount a Supreme Court petition challenging the results. The subsequent judicial loss further exhausted the campaign's momentum, leaving CORD without obvious strategies for consolidation or rebuilding ahead of subsequent elections.
See Also
2013 Election 2013 Election CORD Coalition 2013 Election Uhuru Campaign 2013 Election Results 2013 Election Supreme Court Petition 2013 Election Regional Patterns
Sources
- Kanyinga, Karuti. (2013). The 2013 Kenya Elections: Voting Behavior and Regional Patterns. Institute for Development Studies.
- Branch, Daniel. (2014). Kenya between Hope and Despair: 1964-2013. Yale University Press.
- Wanyande, Peter. (2013). Political Parties and Coalition Dynamics in the 2013 Kenya Elections. Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis.