International election observation missions from numerous countries, regional organizations, and international bodies deployed observers to Kenya during the 2022 election, providing independent assessments of electoral conduct, institutional performance, and the quality of Kenya's democratic processes. The observer community's assessments ranged from cautiously positive to concerned regarding various dimensions of the election's administration and outcomes.
The European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) deployed extensive observers across Kenya, providing comprehensive monitoring of campaign conduct, election-day procedures, and result tabulation. The EU's assessments acknowledged institutional improvements and generally procedurally-sound election conduct while noting irregularities in specific locations and ongoing vulnerabilities in electronic transmission systems. The EU's final report offered cautious assessment that while the election had proceeded largely in accordance with procedural requirements, significant institutional challenges persisted.
The African Union (AU) observer mission emphasized the continental significance of Kenya's electoral process and Kenya's role as a regional democratic exemplar. The AU's assessment was generally positive regarding Kenya's democratic capacity, though with acknowledgment of implementation challenges and institutional vulnerabilities. The AU's approach reflected balance between commending Kenya's democratic development and acknowledging remaining concerns.
The Commonwealth Observer Group focused on democratic principles and constitutional governance. The Commonwealth's assessment noted that while the election represented meaningful democratic competition, the four dissenting IEBC commissioners' public doubts regarding result reliability created concerns regarding electoral outcome legitimacy. The Commonwealth observers noted that the narrow victory margin and the commissioners' dissent created conditions for legitimate electoral dispute.
Specialized international organizations focused on electoral administration assessed Kenya's IEBC institutional performance and technical systems deployment. The International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) noted that while the IEBC had made institutional reforms following the 2017 nullification, significant vulnerabilities persisted and that the 2022 commission's internal dissent demonstrated that institutional reform remained incomplete.
The observer community's assessments of the Supreme Court petition and the court's decision to uphold results were divided. Some observers viewed the court's decision as appropriately maintaining deference to electoral commission administrative decisions and avoiding the result-voiding that had occurred in 2017. Other observers argued that the court should have required more rigorous demonstration of result reliability given the commissioners' documented concerns and the narrow victory margin.
International observers also assessed security sector conduct and political violence during the 2022 campaign and election period. The 2022 election experienced less violence than the 2017 election, with security force conduct generally viewed as more restrained than in 2017. However, human rights organizations documented instances wherein security forces used excessive force against opposition protesters, raising concerns regarding security sector accountability and human rights protection.
International observers provided assessments of campaign conduct and media environment. Observers noted that while campaign conduct had generally proceeded without major incidents, political polarization remained pronounced and that media environments reflected partisan biases with different outlets serving different political constituencies. The observers assessed that while media pluralism existed, media outlets often operated as partisan organs rather than providing balanced coverage serving democratic information functions.
Post-election, international observers produced detailed reports analyzing the election's implications for Kenya's democratic development. The reports emphasized both achievements (continuation of democratic contestation, functioning of judicial institutions, overall procedural conduct) and continuing challenges (political violence, IEBC institutional weaknesses, regional inequality). These balanced international assessments reflected Kenya's status as having functional democratic institutions but significant remaining vulnerabilities and implementation challenges.
See Also
2022 Election 2022 Election Results 2022 Election IEBC Drama 2022 Election Supreme Court Petition 2022 Election Kenya Kwanza
Sources
- European Union Election Observation Mission. (2022). Kenya 2022 General Elections: Final Report. Retrieved from https://www.eueom.eu/
- African Union. (2022). Kenya 2022 Elections: Observation and Assessment Report. Retrieved from https://www.au.int/
- International Foundation for Electoral Systems. (2022). Kenya 2022: Electoral Governance and Democratic Assessment. Retrieved from https://www.ifes.org/