What Kenya can learn from France when politics leads to death

Vincent Ayomo was reportedly shot dead during the Edwin Sifuna-led Linda Mwananchi rally in Kitengela. [File, Standard]

In 2027, both France and Kenya will organise general elections; a fulfillment of their constitutional and democratic commitment. Besides sharing the same timing, the two countries evince noticeable parallels in their political ecosystems. For instance, unlike France, where the incumbent Emmanuel Macron is serving his second and final term, Kenya’s William Ruto will be defending his seat. Another key parallel lies in the approach to political organisation.

Being an advanced democracy, France’s political mobilisation is unsurprisingly anchored on ideology with issues such as immigration, economic and social reforms, and to an extent foreign policy, defining the ideological contours. On its part, Kenya’s political organisation is, to a great extent, a function of ethnic mobilisation. The emergence of the economy and demography (youth), as organising factors, has yet to grow beyond infancy, making any attempt to draw definitive conclusions immature.