When Kenyans vote in a general election, most registered voters are asked to choose leaders for six elective positions.These are the President, Member of Parliament, Senator, County Woman Representative, Governor and Member of County Assembly.
Although the six leaders appear on the ballot during the same election, they do not perform the same duties. Some serve in the national government, others represent counties, while MCAs work at the ward level.
Understanding the difference can help voters judge candidates according to the responsibilities of the office they are seeking.
What are the six elective positions in Kenya?
The six positions contested during a Kenyan general election are:
| Elective position | Area represented | Institution |
|---|---|---|
| President | The whole country | National Executive |
| Member of Parliament | Constituency | National Assembly |
| Senator | County | Senate |
| County Woman Representative | County | National Assembly |
| Governor | County | County Executive |
| Member of County Assembly | Ward | County Assembly |
The Constitution establishes these offices at different levels of government. IEBC also lists them among the elective positions contested during a general election.
1. President
The President is elected by voters across the country and serves as Kenya’s Head of State and Head of Government.
The President directs the national executive, chairs Cabinet meetings and is the Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces. The office also represents Kenya internationally and oversees the implementation of national laws and policies.
A presidential candidate does not win merely by receiving more votes than every other candidate. The Constitution requires the winner to receive:
- More than half of all votes cast nationally; and
- At least 25 per cent of the votes cast in more than half of Kenya’s 47 counties.
If no candidate meets both conditions, a presidential run-off may be required.
The Deputy President is not elected through a separate ballot. Each presidential candidate contests the election with a running mate, and the two are elected on the same ticket.
2. Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament, commonly called an MP, represents one of Kenya’s 290 constituencies in the National Assembly.
MPs make national laws, scrutinise government policies and expenditure, approve taxes and participate in decisions about how national revenue is allocated.
They also oversee the national executive, including questioning Cabinet Secretaries through parliamentary committees and examining how ministries and government agencies use public funds.
An MP is therefore a national legislator representing a particular constituency. The office is different from that of an MCA, who serves in a county assembly.
3. Senator
Each of Kenya’s 47 counties elects one Senator.
Senators sit in the Senate, which represents and protects the interests of counties and their governments. The Senate considers laws concerning counties and participates in determining how nationally raised revenue is shared among county governments.
It also oversees the use of national revenue allocated to counties and considers certain impeachment proceedings involving governors.
A Senator does not run the county government. That is the responsibility of the Governor and the county executive.
The Constitution defines the Senate’s central responsibility as representing counties and protecting their interests.
4. County Woman Representative
Every county elects one County Woman Representative to the National Assembly.
The Constitution formally describes this office as a county woman member of the National Assembly, although it is widely known as the Woman Representative or Woman Rep.
Kenya therefore elects 47 County Woman Representatives, one from each county.
Like constituency MPs, Woman Representatives participate in making national laws, overseeing the national government and approving public expenditure. Their electoral area, however, is the entire county rather than an individual constituency.
The seat was created to increase women’s representation in the National Assembly. It should not be confused with nominated women members of the Senate or county assemblies, who are selected through party lists rather than directly elected on a separate ballot.
5. Governor
A Governor is the head of a county government.
Each of Kenya’s 47 counties elects one Governor. The Governor leads the county executive and is responsible for implementing county laws and policies and managing services assigned to county governments.
These services may include county health facilities, local roads, markets, waste management, early childhood education, county planning and certain agricultural services.
The Governor also nominates county executive committee members, subject to approval by the county assembly.
Like the Deputy President, a Deputy Governor is not chosen through a separate ballot. A gubernatorial candidate contests the election with a running mate, and they are elected together.
6. Member of County Assembly
A Member of County Assembly, commonly known as an MCA, represents a ward in the county assembly.
MCAs make county laws, approve county budgets and development plans, and oversee the Governor and county executive.
They may also question county officials, examine county spending and approve nominees to the county executive committee.
An MCA does not sit in the National Assembly and does not make national laws. The office operates at the county level, with each elected MCA representing a particular ward.
County assemblies also include nominated members intended to meet constitutional requirements on gender and representation of marginalised groups. These nominated members do not appear as separate choices on the general-election ballot.
Why do voters receive six ballot papers?
The six ballots reflect Kenya’s two levels of government and its different units of representation.
At the national level, voters choose the President, constituency MP, County Woman Representative and Senator. At the county level, they choose the Governor and ward MCA.
However, the positions do not form a chain of command. A Senator is not the Governor’s deputy, an MP is not senior to an MCA, and a Woman Representative is not an assistant to a constituency MP.
Each office has a separate constitutional mandate.
Do all Kenyan voters cast six ballots?
Most registered voters casting their ballots at polling stations within Kenya vote for all six positions.
Different arrangements have previously applied to special groups. During the 2022 election, for example, registered Kenyan voters living abroad participated in the presidential election, while registered prisoners also voted for President.
IEBC will need to confirm the applicable voting arrangements, countries, institutions and procedures for the 2027 General Election. Voters should therefore rely on current IEBC notices rather than assuming that every detail used in 2022 will remain unchanged.
What will the 2027 ballot papers look like?
IEBC had not officially confirmed the final ballot-paper design and colours for the 2027 General Election at the time of publication.
Previous elections have used separate colours to help voters distinguish the six contests. However, voters should not rely on colours remembered from earlier elections because IEBC may change the design.
The most important step will be to read the position printed on each ballot paper and confirm the candidate before marking it.
The key difference to remember
The easiest way to understand the six elective positions is to identify the area each leader represents:
The President represents the country.
An MP represents a constituency.
A Senator represents a county in the Senate.
A Woman Representative represents a county in the National Assembly.
A Governor leads the county executive.
An MCA represents a ward in the county assembly.
The six choices determine who runs the national and county executives, who makes laws and who oversees the use of public money for the following five years.
