The impact of presidential petitions

NASA leader Raila Odinga and principal Kaonzo Musyoka carrying presidential election petition documents to the Supreme Court

Among the enjoyable things about elections is watching the production of unexpected stars becoming sensational hits. In 2013, Mutahi Ngunyi talked of “the tyranny of numbers” deciding election outcome and his concept of “tyranny of numbers” entered Kenya’s political language. In 2017, the unexpected phenomenon was the “githeri" man, lining up to vote while eating his meal of beans and maize. His material wealth has since improved.

Ngunyi and githeri man, however, are side issues compared to contestations that accompany elections in the form of “PP”, protests and/or petitions. This happens regularly because Kenyans have seemingly developed expertise on both protests and petitions before, during, and after elections. Protests and petitions make good media copy.