IFES Election Guide - Election Profile for Kenya

Election Profile:

Overview

Results

Of Interest/Links

Sources

Country: Kenya
Official Name: Republic of Kenya
Election Type: Parliamentary
Date: December 27, 2007

Source for election date

At stake in this election:

224 seats in the National Assembly (Bunge)

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Mwai KIBAKI
Head of Government: President Mwai KIBAKI
Assembly: Kenya has a unicameral National Assembly (Bunge) with 224 seats.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by qualified plurality vote to serve a 5-year term.*
In the National Assembly (Bunge), 210 members are elected by plurality vote in single-member constituencies, 12 members are appointed by the president and 2 members are reserved ex officio.***

* In addition to receiving the largest number of votes in absolute terms, the presidential candidate must also win 25% or more of the vote in at least five of Kenya's seven provinces and one area to avoid a runoff.

*** Appointed members are nominated by the political parties. These 12 seats are allocated among the parties in proportion to their nationwide vote shares.

Main parties in the electoral race:

Party: Party of National Unity (PNU)
Leader: Mwai KIBAKI
Seats won in this election: 43
Party: Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)
Leader: Raila ODINGA
Seats won in this election: 99
Party: Orange Democratic Movement Kenya (ODM-K)
Leader: Kalonzo MUSYOKA
Seats won in this election: 16
Party: Kenya African National Union (KANU)
Leader: Uhuru KENYATTA
Seats won in this election: 14
Party: Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People (FORD-P)
Leader: Simeon NYACHAE
Seats won in this election: 3