Ethnic divisions and competition have always challenged Kenyan politics, though normally not enough to disrupt the system. In 2007, however, the presidential election sparked sustained violence that left more than 1,000 people dead, displaced hundreds of thousands more, and almost completely shut down the economy. During the next vote, in 2013, things seemed to be back to their normal state: tense but generally peaceful.
A new presidential election will be held in August 2017, pitting President Uhuru Kenyatta and Vice President William Ruto against a host of other candidates. This May, violent protests over the perceived bias of the country's independent elections commission broke out and led to a harsh crackdown by security services. The flare-up caused concerns that the upcoming presidential contest could lead to a repeat of 2007's post-electoral violence....
