AN ASSESSMENT OF PREVALENCE AND IMPLICATIONS OF ELECTORAL FRAUD ON DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION IN KENYA
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
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Background of the study
Election participation is essential to the democratic process and is a fundamental right of every citizen of a country. But the ongoing prevalence of lawbreaking, nepotism, and electoral fraud presents a serious threat to Kenya's political landscape, not only in Mombasa but across the country. Malpractices get embedded as norms, customs, and traditions when they are tolerated for a long time without any opposition.
According to Kaasi (2019), the alarming and manipulative electoral processes in Kenya, if unchallenged, have the potential to solidify into a tradition and culture. This could lead to individuals seeking public office through flawed processes, justifying their actions with deceptive accomplishments or political settlements. Such a norm would institutionalize injustice and foster the belief that the end justifies the means, risking a collapse of civil, legal, ethical, and just practices. This scenario could cultivate a perception of a politically unprincipled populace lacking values and morality.
Additionally, Andreas (2015) captures electoral fraud as involving the introduction of bias into the administration of election which can take place from the stage of voter registration to the final tally of ballot boxes. This includes such activities as forging of voters’ identity cards, burning of ballots boxes or padding the vote totals of favored parties or candidates. However, a more instructive definition is that provided by Birch et al (2017). In their definition, electoral fraud is defined as electoral crime and substandard practices that result in failure or refusal to act (i.e. inability to provide necessary oversight); acts of deception (i.e. providing false or misleading information); acts of coercion (i.e. intimidating or forcing a voter or other electoral participants to behave in an involuntary manner) and of destruction (i.e. physical violence towards individuals or institutions).
Furthermore, Kenya's reputation abroad has been severely marred by the prevalence of electoral fraud, which is typified by criminality, daring, desperation, and the unrelenting desire of power. Election-related irregularities have led to a poor international image of the nation (Obasi, 2019). Also, the regulation of voting processes is inherently contentious among stakeholders, from seat allocation methods to aspects of administration and vote tallying. Severe mismanagement and manipulation exacerbate these challenges, obstructing citizens' preferences and leading to destabilizing consequences like protests and violence.
Additionally, such actions undermine democratic institutions, jeopardizing elections as a means for principals to endorse agents. Consequently, electoral fraud hampers democratization efforts and rolls back democratic progress, posing a threat to both political and economic advancement. Despite the detrimental impacts of electoral fraud, it remains insufficiently explored in political science, particularly concerning its connection to the preceding voting process and its post-election effects.
Moreover, historical instances, such as bribery playing a central role in fraudulent activities in nineteenth-century African countries, highlight the need to understand the persistence of fraudulent practices over time. Addressing these gaps in understanding is crucial for developing effective strategies to combat electoral fraud and strengthen democratic processes in Kenya and beyond. Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to assess the prevalence and implications of electoral fraud on democratic consolidation in Kenya.
Statement of the problem
The prevalence of electoral fraud in Kenya poses a critical challenge to the integrity and effectiveness of the democratic process. Despite the fundamental role that elections play in shaping the political landscape and representing the will of the people, the persistent occurrence of electoral fraud raises significant concerns about the legitimacy of electoral outcomes and the overall health of the democratic system in Kenya.
Additionally, a variety of illegal actions, such as ballot stuffing, vote-buying, voter suppression, and election result manipulation, are all included in the broad category of electoral fraud (Abu- Shanab, 2016). The fundamental underpinnings of Kenya's democratic government are in jeopardy because to these widespread electoral frauds, which have been seen at all levels of competition, from municipal to national.
Similarly, the implications of electoral fraud extend beyond immediate electoral outcomes. They contribute to a erosion of public trust in the democratic process, undermining the credibility of elected officials and fostering a sense of disillusionment among the electorate. In addition, electoral fraud may exacerbate existing social and political tensions, leading to protests, violence, and a deterioration of political stability.
Furthermore, the problem is further compounded by the potential long-term effects on the country's international reputation. The prevalence of electoral malpractices has the potential to cast Kenya in a negative light on the global stage, impacting diplomatic relations, foreign investments, and the country's standing in the international community. However, despite the gravity of the situation, there exists a notable gap in comprehensive research that systematically investigates the various dimensions of electoral fraud in Kenya. The lack of a nuanced understanding of the factors contributing to electoral fraud, its evolving nature, and its implications for democratic consolidation hinders the development of effective strategies and reforms. Hence, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to assess the prevalence and implications of electoral fraud on democratic consolidation in Kenya.
1.3 Objectives of the study
The main purpose of this study is on an assessment of prevalence and implications of electoral fraud on democratic consolidation in Kenya. Specifically, the study will;
1.Determine the prevalence of electoral fraud in the political system of Kenya
2.Assess the nature of the electoral fraud in Kenya
3.Identify the factors responsible for electoral fraud in Kenya
4.Investigate how electoral fraud affects democratic consolidation in Kenya
1.4 Research questions
The following questions have been prepared for the study:
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To what extent was electoral fraud prevalent during the 2022 presidential election in Kenya?
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What are the factors contributing to electoral fraud in the presidential election in Kenya?
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What patterns of electoral fraud can be identified in the 2022 presidential election in Kenya?
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How does electoral fraud impact the credibility of the 2022 presidential election in Kenya?
1.4 Significance of the study
An assessment of prevalence and implications of electoral fraud on democratic consolidation in Kenya will be revealed to the government at various level, stakeholders, political parties, politicians, electoral bodies, media houses and resident in the study. Also, it will help political parties to contribute to the legitimacy of election outcomes, in order to foster a competitive and fair political environment where parties accept election results as an accurate reflection of the electorate's will. Furthermore, this research will empower citizens by providing them with knowledge about the integrity of the electoral process. Additionally, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regards to an assessment of prevalence and implications of electoral fraud on democratic consolidation in Kenya.
1.7 Scope of the study
The scope of this study is boarded on an assessment of prevalence and implications of electoral fraud on democratic consolidation in Kenya. Theoretically, this study will determine the prevalence of electoral fraud in the political system of Kenya, assess the nature of the electoral fraud in Kenya, identify the factors responsible for electoral fraud in Kenya and investigate how electoral fraud affects democratic consolidation in Kenya.
Geographically, the study will be delimited to people in Mombasa, Kenya.
1.8 Limitation of the study
In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents.
In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed.
More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.
In quest of carrying out this research work the researcher was not able to carry out this work in a more conclusive standard due to the following limitation.
1.9 Definition of terms
Elections: refers to the process and means through which the electorates choose their representatives into government positions (Nwankwo, 2012). Osumah and Aghemelo (2010), they see election as process through which the people chose their leaders, indicate their policies and programme preference, and consequently invest in a government with authority to rule.
Electoral Fraud: refers to situation where elections fell far short of basic international and regional standards for democratic elections.
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