Elections have become more polarized, divisive, and violent, especially when the main candidates are from different ethnic communities. In view of the 2022 general elections, Kenyans do not trust state institutions to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
The progress made in the fight against poverty over the last few decades is being steadily eroded by COVID-19, at a time when the country is dealing with a large debt burden and spiraling corruption.
Strict lockdown measures implemented in the summer of 2020 and again in March 2021 helped to contain the spread of the virus. They demonstrated a high level of state responsiveness and pointed to how much could be achieved if all the country’s challenges would be met with the same level of resolve and political will.
