Kenya's Presidential Election Results, 1992 to 2022
Updated 2 October 2026.
Kenya has held eight presidential elections since multi-party politics returned in 1992. Daniel arap Moi won in 1992 and 1997, Mwai Kibaki in 2002 and 2007, Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013 and twice in 2017, and William Ruto in 2022. The largest winning share was Kenyatta's 98.26 per cent in the boycotted repeat poll of October 2017. The smallest was Moi's 36.35 per cent in 1992, when a plurality was enough.
Winners and runners-up
| Election | Winner | Votes | Share | Runner-up | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Dec 1992 | Daniel arap Moi (KANU) | 1,962,866 | 36.35% | Kenneth Matiba (FORD-Asili) | 1,404,266 | 26.00% |
| 29 Dec 1997 | Daniel arap Moi (KANU) | 2,500,865 | 40.40% | Mwai Kibaki (Democratic Party) | 1,911,742 | 30.89% |
| 27 Dec 2002 | Mwai Kibaki (NARC) | 3,646,277 | 62.20% | Uhuru Kenyatta (KANU) | 1,835,890 | 31.32% |
| 27 Dec 2007 | Mwai Kibaki (PNU) | 4,584,721 | 46.42% | Raila Odinga (ODM) | 4,352,993 | 44.07% |
| 4 Mar 2013 | Uhuru Kenyatta (Jubilee) | 6,173,433 | 50.51% | Raila Odinga (CORD) | 5,340,546 | 43.70% |
| 8 Aug 2017 (annulled) | Uhuru Kenyatta (Jubilee) | 8,203,290 | 54.27% | Raila Odinga (NASA) | 6,762,224 | 44.74% |
| 26 Oct 2017 | Uhuru Kenyatta (Jubilee) | 7,483,895 | 98.26% | Raila Odinga (NASA) | 73,228 | 0.96% |
| 9 Aug 2022 | William Ruto (UDA) | 7,176,141 | 50.49% | Raila Odinga (Azimio) | 6,942,930 | 48.85% |
Shares are of valid votes. The sources differ by era, and BallotWinners names each: the African Elections Database for 1992 and 2007, Nohlen, Krennerich and Thibaut's Elections in Africa data handbook for 1997, IFES for 2002, and the IEBC's declared results from 2013 onwards.
Registration, votes cast and turnout
Official turnout is not published on the same basis for every election, so this table leaves a cell blank rather than calculate one from mismatched figures.
| Election | Registered voters | Valid votes | Rejected | Turnout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | not given in source | 5,400,324 | not given | 69% |
| 1997 | 9,063,390 | 6,189,684 | not given | not given |
| 2002 | 10,451,150 | 5,861,904 | 114,006 | 57.18% |
| 2007 | 14,296,180 | 9,877,028 | not given | not given |
| 2013 | 14,388,781 | 12,221,053 | 108,975 | 85.69% |
| Aug 2017 | 19,611,423 | 15,181,540 | 411,510 | 79.51% |
| Oct 2017 | 19,611,423 | 7,616,217 | 37,713 | 39.03% |
| 2022 | 22,120,458 | 14,213,027 | 113,614 | 64.77% |
The register more than doubled between 1997 and 2022. Turnout moved the other way after 2013, from 85.69 per cent to 64.77 per cent, and the drop is covered in turnout fell from 86% to 64.8%.
Before 2010: when a plurality was enough
The first four elections in the table were held under the old constitution. Moi won in 1992 with just over a third of the valid vote, because the opposition split three ways. Matiba, Kibaki and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga together took 62.93 per cent. In 1997 the pattern repeated, with Kibaki, Raila Odinga, Michael Kijana Wamalwa and Charity Ngilu together outpolling Moi.
The 2002 result was the exception. With Moi off the ballot and the opposition behind one candidate, Kibaki took 62.20 per cent, the biggest share in any competitive Kenyan election in this period.
2007 was the reverse. The Electoral Commission of Kenya declared Kibaki the winner by about 232,000 votes, ODM rejected the count, and about 1,000 people died in the violence that followed. Kalonzo Musyoka came third with 879,903 votes, 8.91 per cent.
After 2010: the 50 per cent and 24-county tests
From 2013 the Constitution required a winner to take more than half the valid votes and at least a quarter of the vote in 24 counties, or face a run-off. Twice the winner cleared the national test by less than a percentage point: Kenyatta with 50.51 per cent in 2013, Ruto with 50.49 per cent in 2022. The rules are explained in what is a presidential run-off.
Every presidential result since 2013 has been challenged in the Supreme Court. The petitions in 2013 and 2022 were dismissed. The August 2017 result was annulled on 1 September 2017, and the fresh election of 26 October 2017, which the main opposition candidate boycotted, drew 39.03 per cent of registered voters.
One name runs through six of the eight contests. Raila Odinga was on the ballot in 1997, 2007, 2013, both 2017 polls and 2022, and his own record is in Raila Odinga's five presidential runs.
Where to go for the detail
County breakdowns for the last three contests are in the 2013 results by county, the 2017 results by county and the 2022 results by county.
Two cautions when comparing across the table. Percentages before 2013 and after are both of valid votes here, but sources for the 1990s round differently and do not always report rejected ballots. And a register is not the same as the adult population, so a high turnout can sit on top of a low registration rate. Both traps are covered in six mistakes people make reading Kenyan election numbers.
The next row in this table would be the election of 10 August 2027, for which the IEBC has set a target register of 28.5 million voters.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has won Kenya's presidential elections since 1992?
Daniel arap Moi in 1992 and 1997, Mwai Kibaki in 2002 and 2007, Uhuru Kenyatta in 2013 and in both 2017 elections, and William Ruto in 2022.
What was the closest presidential election in Kenya?
By official figures, 2007, when Mwai Kibaki was declared winner by about 232,000 votes over Raila Odinga. In 2022 William Ruto's margin was 233,211 votes, but on a much larger total.
What was voter turnout in Kenya's 2022 presidential election?
64.77 per cent. The IEBC recorded 14,326,641 votes cast out of 22,120,458 registered voters, including 113,614 rejected ballots.
Why did Moi win in 1992 with only 36 per cent?
The old constitution did not require a majority, and the opposition vote was split between Kenneth Matiba, Mwai Kibaki and Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, who together took about 63 per cent.