2017 Kenya Election

August 21, 2017

Experiencing life outside your own country continues to broaden our perspective of global realisms.  The past few weeks have caused Morris and I to trust deeply that all would be well here in Kenya during their national election.  We have joined many around the world to pray for peace as we supported efforts toward promoting a calm election process as well as preparing for any potential emergency. We have a new appreciation for a place like Canada where the nuances of democracy are understood and followed without fear.  We have a more profound empathy towards a nation like Kenya where people have the same rights as anyone else but those rights are not always secure.  In 1963 Kenya became a democratic nation, but when a national egalitarian process like an election happens, suddenly there is no certainty that democracy will be followed completely.

We all knew this would be a close race between Uhuru Kenyatta, reigning President, and 72 year old Raila Odigna, the Opposition leader who was trying for the fourth time to secure the top seat in Kenya’s legislation. Interestingly, the fathers of both these men competed for the same office a number of years back.  Kenyatta’s platform focused on a promise to create a million jobs while Odinga said he would fight corruption in the country.  For weeks, people were tense and on the ‘edge of their seat’ to see whether this would be a diplomatic and non-violent process.  One horrific incident shattered hopes even before Election Day.   Levels of anxiety and uncertainty were raised when Chris Msando, director of the Information Technology commission overseeing the election’s voting process, was tortured and killed. Speculations over the cause and intention of this murder began to trickle through the land.

On August 08, nearly 80% of the 19 million eligible voters went to the polls to elect a new President. From 1:00 a.m. til late that evening, residents lined up for hours (some ques were 3-4 kilometers long) at more than 40,000 polling stations to hope their vote counted.  We woke the next morning to the news that Kenyatta was in the lead and Odigna was adamant this was a rigged election, declaring the voting process a fraud.  Immediately, some violent protests broke out, thankfully not reaching the feared levels from 2007.  As we heard of the fatalities, we knew that democracy has its limitations here and our hearts were saddened by the loss of life in an event that should be everyone’s peaceful right. It was particularly sad to know the Kibera neighborhood in Nairobi, the poorest area of Kenya, was specifically targeted. Those whom Jesus says should receive our greatest love and attention, were now the object of injustice.

It took three days before the voting tallies were complete and the incumbent President declared the winner, securing more than 57% of the votes. Every day we checked for the levels of safety around our communities and anxiously waited to ensure no major uprising occurred. When  myself and Commissioner Grace took our flight to Nairobi on Aug. 11, there was a noticeable extra police presence at the Kisumu airport. When Morris and the TC traveled to Kisumu on August 15, they could see the remnants of the fires that had occurred in the city.  Another disturbing news story revealed that the President of the IEBC (Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission) had committed suicide. Once again, sadness surfaced.  After several days of wondering how Odigna would finally manage his defeat, it appears he has filed a petition with the Supreme Court to challenge the election results. The ruling will be released on September 01.

If I could borrow a line from my home country’s national anthem, I would choose these words for Kenya: God keep this land glorious and free.  We continue to pray for peace in Kenya. “In Thee, O Lord, do I put my trust.”