Free and Fair Elections Index in Kenya
Kenya: Free and Fair Elections Index was 0.493 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Free and Fair Elections Index in Kenya, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for free and fair elections index in Kenya is 0.493, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.6% on the previous year and up 18.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, free and fair elections index in Kenya peaked at 0.533 in 1963 and was at its lowest, 0, in 1900.
Kenya ranks 95th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Free and Fair Elections Index in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0 | — |
| 1901 | 0 | — |
| 1902 | 0 | — |
| 1903 | 0 | — |
| 1904 | 0 | — |
| 1905 | 0 | — |
| 1906 | 0 | — |
| 1907 | 0 | — |
| 1908 | 0 | — |
| 1909 | 0 | — |
| 1910 | 0 | — |
| 1911 | 0 | — |
| 1912 | 0 | — |
| 1913 | 0 | — |
| 1914 | 0 | — |
| 1915 | 0 | — |
| 1916 | 0 | — |
| 1917 | 0 | — |
| 1918 | 0 | — |
| 1919 | 0 | — |
| 1920 | 0.406 | — |
| 1921 | 0.444 | +9.4% |
| 1922 | 0.444 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.444 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.47 | +5.9% |
| 1925 | 0.477 | +1.5% |
| 1926 | 0.477 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.457 | -4.2% |
| 1928 | 0.455 | -0.4% |
| 1929 | 0.455 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.455 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.445 | -2.2% |
| 1932 | 0.442 | -0.7% |
| 1933 | 0.442 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.266 | -39.8% |
| 1935 | 0.212 | -20.3% |
| 1936 | 0.212 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.212 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.387 | +82.5% |
| 1939 | 0.445 | +15.0% |
| 1940 | 0.445 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.445 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.445 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.445 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.446 | +0.2% |
| 1945 | 0.446 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.467 | +4.7% |
| 1947 | 0.467 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.483 | +3.4% |
| 1949 | 0.483 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.483 | +0.0% |
| 1951 | 0.483 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.446 | -7.7% |
| 1953 | 0.417 | -6.5% |
| 1954 | 0.411 | -1.4% |
| 1955 | 0.433 | +5.4% |
| 1956 | 0.429 | -0.9% |
| 1957 | 0.441 | +2.8% |
| 1958 | 0.441 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 0.441 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.441 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 0.484 | +9.8% |
| 1962 | 0.488 | +0.8% |
| 1963 | 0.533 | +9.2% |
| 1964 | 0.526 | -1.3% |
| 1965 | 0.517 | -1.7% |
| 1966 | 0.354 | -31.5% |
| 1967 | 0.225 | -36.4% |
| 1968 | 0.225 | +0.0% |
| 1969 | 0.18 | -20.0% |
| 1970 | 0.214 | +18.9% |
| 1971 | 0.214 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.214 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.214 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.234 | +9.3% |
| 1975 | 0.307 | +31.2% |
| 1976 | 0.307 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.307 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.307 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.301 | -2.0% |
| 1980 | 0.27 | -10.3% |
| 1981 | 0.27 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.27 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 0.245 | -9.3% |
| 1984 | 0.176 | -28.2% |
| 1985 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.176 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.127 | -27.8% |
| 1989 | 0.124 | -2.4% |
| 1990 | 0.124 | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 0.124 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 0.136 | +9.7% |
| 1993 | 0.167 | +22.8% |
| 1994 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 0.167 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.168 | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 0.248 | +47.6% |
| 1999 | 0.248 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.248 | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 0.248 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.297 | +19.8% |
| 2003 | 0.426 | +43.4% |
| 2004 | 0.426 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.426 | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 0.426 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 0.423 | -0.7% |
| 2008 | 0.197 | -53.4% |
| 2009 | 0.198 | +0.5% |
| 2010 | 0.198 | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 0.203 | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 0.205 | +1.0% |
| 2013 | 0.381 | +85.9% |
| 2014 | 0.417 | +9.4% |
| 2015 | 0.417 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.414 | -0.7% |
| 2017 | 0.399 | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 0.383 | -4.0% |
| 2019 | 0.386 | +0.8% |
| 2020 | 0.388 | +0.5% |
| 2021 | 0.388 | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.441 | +13.7% |
| 2023 | 0.502 | +13.8% |
| 2024 | 0.496 | -1.2% |
| 2025 | 0.493 | -0.6% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 0.493 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.321, 1.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 0.493 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2905, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Free and Fair Elections Index in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | +85.9% | 0.205 | 0.381 |
| 1938 | +82.5% | 0.212 | 0.387 |
| 2008 | -53.4% | 0.423 | 0.197 |
| 1998 | +47.6% | 0.168 | 0.248 |
| 2003 | +43.4% | 0.297 | 0.426 |
| 1934 | -39.8% | 0.442 | 0.266 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.4529 | 0.406 | 0.477 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.3518 | 0.212 | 0.455 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.4572 | 0.445 | 0.483 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.4425 | 0.411 | 0.483 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.3973 | 0.18 | 0.533 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.2619 | 0.214 | 0.307 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.201 | 0.124 | 0.27 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1716 | 0.124 | 0.248 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3315 | 0.197 | 0.426 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3403 | 0.198 | 0.417 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4513 | 0.388 | 0.502 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More reference data data for Kenya
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.5379 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 12.22 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.377 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 14.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 1.8 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 1.1 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 58.05 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 68.95 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 2.05 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is free and fair elections index in Kenya?
- Free and fair elections index in Kenya was 0.493 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest free and fair elections index recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 0.533 in 1963.
- What is the lowest free and fair elections index recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0 in 1900.
- How does Kenya rank for free and fair elections index?
- Kenya ranks 95th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is free and fair elections index rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is up 18.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Free and Fair Elections Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent to which registration fraud, systematic irregularities, government intimidation of the opposition, vote buying, and election violence are absent, and the election management body is autonomous and has enough staff and resources.