The Kenyan diaspora in the United States and the 2013 elections: when money does not equal power

Abstract

This paper examines the expectations and realities of the influence of the US-based Kenyan diaspora during the lead up to the 2013 Kenyan elections. The 2013 Kenyan elections, important to a number of domestic and international actors, could have proved a galvanizing event for the diaspora: the international community had identified Kenya at elevated risk for electoral violence, substantial changes to domestic institutions were undertaken following the high profile 2007–2008 post-election violence, and there had been considerable discussion of engaging the diaspora since the last election. Despite the superior economic power of the Kenyan diaspora compared to other African diaspora communities, we find that the Kenyan diaspora did not play a significant role in the organization or outcome of these elections. The result appears counter-intuitive, as the diaspora is financially powerful and garners significant attention from political leaders. Instead, we find that the Kenyan diaspora did not politicize its remittances and had greater influence in other sectors like economic development. The case of the Kenyan diaspora shows that it is important to understand the source, limitations, and political dynamics impacting diaspora groups; the amount of money they send home or the attention these groups receive in domestic politics is not always a good indicator of their political strength.