1992 Kenyan general election

General elections were held in Kenya on 29 December 1992 to elect the president and members of the National Assembly. They were the first multi-party general elections in Kenya since independence and the first to feature a direct vote for the president, who had been elected by the National Assembly in 1964 and been automatically declared the winner of uncontested elections held alongside parliamentary elections in 1969, 1974, 1979, 1983 and 1988 following a 1969 constitutional amendment.

1992 Kenyan general election

← 1988 29 December 1992 (1992-12-29) 1997 →
Presidential election
 
Nominee Daniel arap Moi Kenneth Matiba
Party KANU FORD–Asili
Popular vote 1,962,866 1,404,266
Percentage 36.35% 26.00%

 
Nominee Mwai Kibaki Jaramogi Oginga Odinga
Party Democratic FORD-K
Popular vote 1,050,617 944,197
Percentage 19.45% 17.48%

Results by province

President before election

Daniel arap Moi
Kenya African National Union

Elected President

Daniel arap Moi
KANU

Parliamentary election
Party Leader Seats
KANU Daniel Arap Moi 100
FORD–Asili Kenneth Matiba 31
Democratic Mwai Kibaki 23
FORD–Kenya Jaramogi Oginga Odinga 31
KNC Chibule wa Tsuma 1
PICK John Harun Mwau 1
KSC George Anyona 1
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Speaker of the National Assembly before Speaker of the National Assembly after
Jonathan Kimetet arap Ng'eno
KANU
Francis ole Kaparo
KANU

The results were marred by allegations of large-scale intimidation of opponents, harassment of election officials and ballot-box stuffing, as well as targeted ethnic violence in the Rift Valley Province. Human Rights Watch accused several prominent Kenyan politicians, including President Daniel arap Moi and then-VP George Saitoti of inciting and co-ordinating the violence.[1] Voter turnout was 69%.[2][3]

Background

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In 1991, Kenya transitioned to a multiparty political system after 26 years of single-party rule under KANU. On 28 October 1992, president Moi dissolved parliament, five months before the end of his term. As a result, preparations began for all elective seats in parliament as well as the president. The elections were scheduled to take place on 7 December 1992, but delays led to its postponement to 29 December the same year.

Results

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President

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CandidatePartyVotes%
Daniel arap MoiKenya African National Union1,962,86636.35
Kenneth MatibaFORD–Asili1,404,26626.00
Mwai KibakiDemocratic Party1,050,61719.45
Jaramogi Oginga OdingaFORD–Kenya944,19717.48
George AnyonaKenya Social Congress14,2730.26
Chibule wa TsumaKenya National Congress10,2210.19
John Harun MwauParty of Independent Candidates of Kenya8,1180.15
David Mukaru Ng'ang'aKenya National Democratic Alliance5,7660.11
Total5,400,324100.00
Source: African Elections Database

By province

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Province Moi Matiba Kibaki Odinga Others Total
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Central 21,918 2.1 630,194 60.4 373,147 35.8 10,668 1.0 6,945 0.7 1,042,872
Coast 188,296 62.1 33,399 11.0 32,201 10.6 42,796 14.1 6,653 2.2 303,345
Eastern 290,372 37.0 79,436 10.1 392,481 50.0 13,673 1.7 8,819 1.1 784,781
North Eastern 46,420 74.8 7,188 11.6 3,259 5.3 5,084 8.2 73 0.1 62,024
Nairobi 62,410 16.6 165,553 44.1 69,715 18.6 75,888 20.2 1,944 0.5 375,510
Nyanza 117,554 15.2 10,299 1.3 51,998 6.7 581,490 75.4 9,807 1.3 771,148
Rift Valley 981,488 71.5 214,727 15.6 98,302 7.2 75,465 5.5 3,535 0.3 1,373,517
Western 219,187 39.3 214,060 38.4 14,404 2.6 98,822 17.7 10,846 1.9 557,319
Total 1,927,645 36.6 1,354,856 25.7 1,035,507 19.6 903,886 17.1 48,622 0.9 5,270,516
Source: Nohlen et al.

National Assembly

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Following the elections, Moi nominated a further 12 KANU members to the National Assembly.[4]

PartySeats
Kenya African National Union100
FORD–Asili31
Democratic Party23
FORD–Kenya31
Kenya National Congress1
Party of Independent Candidates of Kenya1
Kenya Social Congress1
Kenya National Democratic Alliance0
Social Democratic Party0
Appointed members12
Total200
Source: Nohlen et al.

Aftermath

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In the aftermath of the election, Kenya suffered an economic crisis propagated by ethnic violence as the president was accused of rigging electoral results to retain power.[5] In the next five years, many political alliances were formed in preparation for the next elections. In 1994, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga died and several coalitions joined his FORD Kenya party to form a new party called United National Democratic Alliance. However, this party was plagued with disagreements. In 1996, KANU revised the constitution to allow Moi to remain president for another term.

In 1993 Kenneth Matiba filed a petition against the election results. However, his failure to personally sign the petition resulted in the petition being struck out by Justice Riaga Omolo. Matiba, was physically incapacitated and had given his wife power of attorney. In 2012, Justice Omolo was declared unfit to serve in the judiciary by the Judges and Magistrates Vetting Board over this decision.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Human Rights Watch (1993) Divide and Rule: State Sponsored Ethnic Violence in Kenya
  2. ^ Elections held in 1992 Inter-Parliamentary Union
  3. ^ Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p486 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
  4. ^ Elections in Kenya African Elections Database
  5. ^ Keith., Kyle (1999). Politics of the independence of Kenya. Macmillan. ISBN 978-0333720080. OCLC 795968156.
  6. ^ Why this election may be won in courts The Star, 12 January 2013