Old Foes Square Off in Kenyan Election Déjà Vu: QuickTake Q&A

Kenya’s Aug 8. presidential elections will be a rematch of the 2013 race, which pitted Uhuru Kenyatta against Raila Odinga. That vote saw Kenyatta squeak to victory in the first round and the Supreme Court reject Odinga’s allegations of rigging. This time, five of the main opposition parties have united to form the National Super Alliance and thrown their weight behind Odinga. With violence and intimidation having overshadowed four of the six elections held in Kenya since the advent of multiparty democracy in 1991, the East African nation’s ability to stage a peaceful and credible vote will be as keenly watched as the outcome.

The president and his deputy are elected on the same ticket for a five-year term. To avoid a run-off, a candidate must win an absolute majority of the popular vote and at least a quarter of ballots cast in more than half of the nation’s 47 counties. Seven parties are fielding presidential candidates, while 11 independents are also standing. The presidential contest will run concurrently with the election of 47 governors and senators, and 290 members of the lower house.