Voting on a Constitution: Implications for Democracy in Kenya

This article examines the 2005 constitutional referendum and its implications for democracy in Kenya. The article goes beyond ethnic explanations for the rejected constitution and discusses the controversial process of drafting the constitution, the mobilization efforts of the ‘yes’ and ‘no’ campaigns, and the perceived performance of the government. In the end, the referendum was seen as a positive step toward democratic consolidation in Kenya and raised hopes for the future.