Africa’s Electoral Democracy
A decade of slippage has wiped out 14 years of gains. Forty of the continent’s 54 countries now score lower on electoral democracy than they did in 2015.
Politics ·
Politics
Power and policy — elections, devolution, and the laws that shape how countries are governed.
Missing from the ballot
In Mombasa, fewer than 44 in every 100 registered voters cast a presidential ballot in 2022. Across Kenya, turnout has fallen since 2013. The winners are counted. The millions who stayed away remain a mystery.
Politics · · VDI+
Devolution Opening Up ?
Four years ago, most Kenyan counties kept more of their budgets hidden than public. In 2025, the opposite is true — but a document uploaded is not yet a document understood.
Politics ·
Can a Divided Opposition Hand the Incumbent the Win? 🗳️
President Ruto holds the largest single share of the vote — but is a runoff on the cards, or can the opposition unite?
Politics · · VDI+
Kenya’s Largest Political Party.
Over 7.7 million registered Kenyans didn't vote in 2022 — more than Ruto's 7.2m votes or Raila's 6.9m.
Politics · · VDI+
The Biases Shaping Kenyan Politics
Mental shortcuts quietly decide what Kenyans believe about their leaders — and not one of them needs a politician to say a false word.
Politics ·
The Economics of Drone Warfare 🛰️💰
War is expensive, dominated by fighter jets, tanks, and missiles worth millions. Today, a new weapon is rewriting the battlefield's cost equation: the low-cost attack drone.
Politics ·
Won the Map, Lost the Vote
Raila Odinga carried 13 of Kenya's 20 most populous counties in 2022, and out-polled Ruto in those 20 counties combined by nearly a million votes. He still lost the presidency — because Kenya has 47 counties, not 20.
Politics ·