Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has declared Tuesday 9th August a public holiday to allow Kenyans to participate in the 2022 general elections.
“It is notified for information to the public pursuant to and in the exercise of the powers conferred by section 2 (4) of the Public Holidays Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Co-ordination of National Government declares Tuesday, August 9, 2022, as a public holiday to afford the people of Kenya the opportunity to participate in the 2022 General Elections,” read a gazette notice.
With only four days to the elections, Kenyans are expected to participate in the voting exercise to determine the power transition.
Voters will elect the President, members of the National assembly and senate, county governors, and members of the 47 county assemblies of Kenya.
The 2022 election will be the third general election, and fourth presidential, since the promulgation of the 2022 constitutional referendum. President Uhuru Kenyatta is not eligible for a third term, as are two-term county governors.
This year’s general election cleared the lowest number of presidential candidates since the multi-party system was implemented in 1992.
The President of Kenya is elected using a modified version of the two-round system: to win in the first round, a candidate must receive over 50% of the vote and at least 25% of the vote in a minimum of 24 of the 47 counties.
The parliament consists of two houses, the senate(upper house) and the National assembly(lower house).
The 337 members of the national assembly are elected in two ways,290 are elected in single-member constituencies, and the remaining 47 are reserved for women and are elected from single-member constituencies based on the 47 counties.
The 67 members of the senate are elected by four methods; 47 are elected in single-member constituencies based on the counties by first-past-the-post voting.
Parties are then assigned a share of 16 seats for women, two for youth, and two for persons with disabilities based on their seat share.
Members of the county assemblies are elected from 1,450 electoral wards.