Democracy without Opposition: Kenyan Civil Society at a Juncture

One result of the Kenyan national election in 2007 was the construction of a “Grand Coalition”. That circumstance left Kenyan democracy without a formal opposition, a gap that has been suggested to be filled by civil society. This article explores the role of Kenya’s civil society in the struggle for democracy, its role in a transitional democracy and its capacity for being a “check and balance institution” in a democracy without a parliamentarian opposition. It argues that civil society cannot fill the role of opposition within a democracy that has not been consolidated, since the foremost role of civil society is to promote public participation and the fulfilment of a social contract between state and society that is aligned with the societal values of redistribution, equality and inclusiveness.