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Baffling and bizarre reasons that motivate Kenyans to vote

Voters queueing to cast their ballot at the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Sports Complex in Kisumu Central, April 14, 2022. [Collins Oduor, Standard] 

What exactly motivates Kenyan voters to choose whom to vote for? Is it the more conventional reasons such as political party loyalty, issues candidates stand for, candidate characteristics or social background?

Just like our politicians, voter behaviour in Kenya is difficult to explain. In 2013 and 2017, Loyola Centre for Media Communications and Jesuit Hakimani Centre conducted surveys on what motivated voters in choosing candidates. Over 70 per cent of respondents would not mention ethnicity as a motivation.

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