Supreme Court Decisions and Perceptions of Election Integrity in Africa: Evidence from Kenya

The nascency of many judicial systems in sub-Saharan Africa has left many scholars to question their role as adjudicators of electoral contests. By appealing the outcome of Kenya's contentious 2022 presidential election to the Supreme Court, opposition candidate Raila Odinga indirectly presented an opportunity to study the role of courts in mediating perceptions of election integrity. Drawing on data from an online survey conducted prior to and following the Supreme Court of Kenya's decision to uphold the election results, we present for the first time evidence that African courts can improve confidence in electoral outcomes. Specifically, we illustrate that among both sets of supporters, the Supreme Court's decision improved belief in the fairness of the election's outcome. The results of the study have implications for policymakers interested in protecting election integrity in the region.