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Why 2022 elections are a great leap in Kenya's political culture

Ballot boxes at a tallying centre in Nairobi. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

All things remaining constant, the 2022 General Election may be one of the biggest leaps into a new dawn for Kenya. While it is not clear who the president-elect will be at the time of writing this article, there are clear firsts in this election.

Despite the obvious low voter turnout, Kenyans have conducted themselves with great civility before, during and after the elections. In addition, from the early outcomes of the other five elections outside the presidency, the people seem to have defied the traditional party dictatorship for six-piece voting lines in many places. At the presidential level, there are noticeable shifts in the voting demographics that may redefine the future of national elections in country.

For the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), there will be many lessons to pick from this election....