Party Dominance in Parliament: How Jubilee Won 140 of 289 MP Seats in 2017

21 different parties won parliamentary seats in 2017. But Jubilee alone controlled nearly half the House.

Kenya's 12th Parliament, elected on 8th August 2017, was defined by one party's dominance. The Jubilee Party won 140 of 289 constituency seats — 48.4% of the House. Combined with allied smaller parties, President Kenyatta controlled a comfortable majority from day one.

But the numbers also reveal something else: Kenya's political landscape is far more fragmented than the two-coalition narrative suggests. Twenty-one different parties won at least one constituency seat. Here is how they divided up the House.

The Full Parliamentary Lineup

The IEBC declared winners from 21 different parties plus independent candidates. Here is every party that won at least one seat:

The top six parties accounted for 251 of 289 seats (86.9%):

1. Jubilee Party: 140 seats (48.4%)
2. Orange Democratic Movement (ODM): 62 seats (21.5%)
3. Wiper Democratic Movement: 19 seats (6.6%)
4. Independent Candidates: 13 seats (4.5%)
5. Amani National Congress (ANC): 12 seats (4.2%)
6. Forum for Restoration of Democracy-Kenya (FORD-K): 10 seats (3.5%)

The remaining 15 parties shared 38 seats among them. Nine parties won just 1 seat each. This long tail of micro-parties is a distinctive feature of Kenyan parliamentary politics.

Jubilee's Near-Majority

With 140 seats, Jubilee was just 5 seats short of an outright majority (145 of 289). But this understates their power. Several smaller parties — including KANU (8 seats), Chama Cha Mashinani (2 seats), and others — were allied with Jubilee. In practice, Kenyatta's coalition controlled well over 160 seats.

This gave Jubilee the ability to pass ordinary legislation without needing opposition support. For constitutional amendments requiring a two-thirds majority (193 seats), they would need some opposition defections — which they often got.

The Opposition Bloc

Raila Odinga's National Super Alliance (NASA) coalition brought together ODM (62), Wiper (19), ANC (12), and FORD-K (10) — a total of 103 seats. With allied parties and some independents, NASA's effective strength was around 120 seats.

This was not enough to block legislation. But it was enough to be a vocal opposition, particularly in committees and during budget debates. The opposition's real power came from the Senate, where the numbers were closer: Jubilee 24, ODM 13, with smaller parties holding the balance.

The Small Parties That Won Seats

Some of the most interesting results came from the smaller parties:

• Kenya African National Union (KANU): 8 seats — the former ruling party still had regional strength
• Economic Freedom Party: 4 seats — a surprise showing in specific constituencies
• Maendeleo Chap Chap: 3 seats — Alfred Mutua's party won in Machakos region
• Party for Development and Reform: 3 seats — a Rift Valley party
• Kenya National Congress: 2 seats
• Kenya Patriots Party: 2 seats
• Peoples Democratic Party: 2 seats
• Chama Cha Mashinani: 2 seats — Isaac Ruto's party in South Rift

Seven parties won exactly 1 seat each: Chama Cha Uzalendo, Democratic Party of Kenya, Frontier Alliance Party, Muungano Party, National Agenda Party, New Democrats, and Party of National Unity. Each of these single-seat parties typically represents a strong local figure who chose a minor party ticket over the major coalitions.

What About the Full National Assembly?

The 289 constituency seats are only part of the picture. The National Assembly also includes 47 County Woman Representatives and 12 nominated members. When you add in the Women Reps, Jubilee's dominance extended further: they won 25 of 47 Women Rep seats, while ODM won 11.

Across all elected National Assembly positions, Jubilee controlled the majority. Combined with the constitutional provisions for nominated members (shared proportionally), the ruling party had a commanding presence.

Comparison Across All Six Positions

Jubilee's dominance was consistent across all elected positions in 2017:

• President: Won (Kenyatta, 54.27%)
• Governors: 25 of 47
• Senators: 24 of 47
• Women Representatives: 25 of 47
• Members of Parliament: 140 of 289
• Members of County Assembly: 582 of 1,448

At every level, Jubilee won the most seats. The party's strength came from its dominance in Central Kenya, Rift Valley, and parts of Eastern and North Eastern provinces. ODM remained strong in Nyanza, Western, and Coast regions.

Key Takeaways

1. Jubilee won 140 of 289 MP seats — just 5 short of an outright majority
2. 21 parties won seats — Kenya's parliament was genuinely multi-party
3. 13 independents won — proving you can win without a major party ticket
4. The NASA opposition had 103 seats — enough to be vocal but not enough to block
5. 9 parties won just 1 seat each — the long tail of Kenyan micro-parties

See how this fragmentation played out at the ward level: The MCA Landscape: 1,448 Wards, 41 Parties.

Track results across all six positions. Votrack monitors presidential, gubernatorial, senatorial, Women Rep, MP, and MCA races simultaneously. See party performance at every level. Request a demo to prepare for 2027.