Ever wondered how the President of Kenya, the head of government, is selected? Unlike some countries with parliamentary systems, Kenya employs a direct presidential election. This means you, the Kenyan citizen, get to cast your vote!
Every five years, registered voters head to the polls to choose their preferred candidate. To win outright, a candidate needs more than 50% of all the votes cast AND at least 25% of the votes in more than half of the 47 counties. This ensures broad national support, not just regional popularity.
If no candidate meets these thresholds in the initial round, a runoff election is held between the top two contenders. The winner of the runoff becomes the President and forms the government. The President then appoints cabinet secretaries, subject to parliamentary approval, to help run the country. So, in Kenya, the power to choose the head of government truly lies with the people.
