The 2013 general elections in Kenya

The document analyzes the 2013 Kenyan general elections, focusing on the performance of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). While a majority of voters viewed the elections as free and fair, trust in the IEBC was divided, with 49% of respondents stating they did not trust the body. The report highlights a gap between direct experiences of electoral malpractice—which were reported as low—and broader perceptions of unfairness, often shaped by ethnic and party affiliations. It recommends that the IEBC undertake a public audit of the 2013 elections and expand voter registration for marginalized groups.

• The 2013 general elections saw a high voter turnout of 85%, with 14.3 million voters registered using biometric voter registration (BVR) technology.
• Public trust in the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) was split; 49% of survey respondents reported they did not trust the commission, while 43% responded positively.
• A majority of Kenyans (61%) perceived the 2013 elections as free and fair, though these ratings were heavily influenced by ethnic and party alignment. Supporters of the Jubilee Coalition, particularly the Kalenjin (96%) and Kikuyu (87%), gave high ratings, while supporters of CORD, such as the Luo (19%), were more likely to view the elections as neither free nor fair.
• There is a discrepancy between direct voter experiences and general perceptions of electoral integrity. Direct reports of intimidation (4-5%) and vote buying (12%) were low, but perceptions of unfair vote counting (30%) and abuse of government resources (26%) were more prevalent.
• Voter registration gaps persisted, with an estimated three million citizens unable to register due to a lack of national identity cards, particularly affecting marginalized communities.
• Public confidence in international election observers declined between 2009 and 2013, potentially because observer reports of a 'free and fair' election did not align with the public controversies and Supreme Court disputes following the 2013 results.

APA

Schulz-Herzenberg, C., Aling’o, P., & Gatimu, S. (2015). The 2013 general elections in Kenya. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief74.pdf

Chicago

Schulz-Herzenberg, Collette, Peter Aling’o, and Sebastian Gatimu. The 2013 general elections in Kenya. Institute for Security Studies, 2015. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief74.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{schulzherzenberg20152013, author = {Schulz-Herzenberg, Collette and Aling’o, Peter and Gatimu, Sebastian}, title = {{The 2013 general elections in Kenya}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2015}, month = feb, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/PolBrief74.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }