The Anatomy of Kenya’s 2022 Election

The 2022 Kenyan election occurs amidst severe economic instability driven by global food, energy, and climate crises, with cooking oil prices rising 47% and millions requiring food aid. The contest primarily features Raila Odinga and William Ruto, with the winner facing the urgent need to stabilize fuel and food prices without increasing national debt. While the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has seen few reforms since 2017, there are signs of a peaceful democratic transition and increased female candidacy.

• Kenya is facing a severe cost-of-living crisis driven by pandemic-related shortages, drought, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has significantly increased the price of essential goods.
• Climate-related challenges in East Africa, specifically four years of inadequate rainfall, have left approximately 3.5 million Kenyans in need of food assistance.
• The incoming president must implement economic relief to make food affordable and stabilize fuel prices while avoiding inflation and further national debt.
• Despite a lack of significant reforms at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) following the 2017 election irregularities, there are indications of a peaceful transfer of power and higher female participation in the 2022 vote.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2022). The Anatomy of Kenya’s 2022 Election. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-anatomy-of-kenyas-2022-election/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. The Anatomy of Kenya’s 2022 Election. 2022. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-anatomy-of-kenyas-2022-election/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=The Anatomy of Kenya’s 2022 Election |date=8 August 2022 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/the-anatomy-of-kenyas-2022-election/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2022anatomy, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{The Anatomy of Kenya’s 2022 Election}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2022}, month = aug, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/the-anatomy-of-kenyas-2022-election/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }