Join us for a talk with Dr. Nic Cheeseman (University of Oxford) on his recent research on the Kenyan Elections of 2013. Based on first-hand experience, the paper documents the shortcomings of the election and explains why the polls remained peaceful despite their many defects. It also considers the state of Kenyan democracy and the capacity for institutional reforms to promote democratisation in Africa. Despite, the increasing politicisation of the Electoral Commission and Supreme Court, I conclude that new constitutional provisions encouraged political leaders to play by the rules of the game – and will continue to reshape Kenyan politics going forwards.