Kenya’s parliament sits for the first time since controversial election

After being sworn in on Tuesday, Uhuru Kenyatta calls the first sitting of Kenya’s 12th parliament today. MPs aligned with the National Super Alliance—the country’s largest opposition force—said they will boycott the sitting, citing alleged fraudulence involved in the president’s re-election.

While these suspicions will likely subside over time—independent international observers found no signs of manipulation—Mr Kenyatta will find no short supply of challenges to deal with. Despite remaining at a strong 5.5%, the forecast for Kenya’s GDP growth in 2017 has been hit by a prolonged drought which has increased food prices and energy cost.

Another constant thorn in Kenya’s side is the security situation in neighbouring Somalia, which remains troubling. This month alone, al-Shabaab carried out several raids into Kenyan territory, beheading villagers and terrorising border villages.

The president’s track record speaks for itself though; he oversaw his country’s strong and stable economic growth, has made doing business significantly easier and initiated a number of vital infrastructure projects. If he manages to continue this streak, expect Kenya to perform well in the years to come.

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