Participatory Democracy Index in Kenya
Kenya: Participatory Democracy Index was 0.335 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.335
Change on year
down 6.4%
World rank
78th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.376
in 2014
All-time low
0.012
in 1900
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Participatory Democracy Index in Kenya, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for participatory democracy index in Kenya is 0.335, measured in 2025.
The figure is down 6.4% on the previous year and down 10.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, participatory democracy index in Kenya peaked at 0.376 in 2014 and was at its lowest, 0.012, in 1900.
Kenya ranks 78th of 176 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Participatory Democracy Index in Kenya, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.012 | — |
| 1901 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.012 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.015 | +25.0% |
| 1921 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.015 | +0.0% |
| 1925 | 0.016 | +6.7% |
| 1926 | 0.016 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.015 | -6.3% |
| 1928 | 0.02 | +33.3% |
| 1929 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.021 | +5.0% |
| 1931 | 0.02 | -4.8% |
| 1932 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.02 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.019 | -5.0% |
| 1935 | 0.018 | -5.3% |
| 1936 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.018 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.02 | +11.1% |
| 1939 | 0.021 | +5.0% |
| 1940 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.02 | -4.8% |
| 1945 | 0.021 | +5.0% |
| 1946 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1949 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.022 | +4.8% |
| 1951 | 0.022 | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 0.021 | -4.5% |
| 1953 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 0.021 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 0.023 | +9.5% |
| 1957 | 0.023 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 0.024 | +4.3% |
| 1959 | 0.024 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.025 | +4.2% |
| 1961 | 0.026 | +4.0% |
| 1962 | 0.026 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 0.091 | +250.0% |
| 1964 | 0.11 | +20.9% |
| 1965 | 0.121 | +10.0% |
| 1966 | 0.127 | +5.0% |
| 1967 | 0.119 | -6.3% |
| 1968 | 0.118 | -0.8% |
| 1969 | 0.114 | -3.4% |
| 1970 | 0.114 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 0.114 | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 0.114 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 0.114 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 0.115 | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 0.116 | +0.9% |
| 1976 | 0.117 | +0.9% |
| 1977 | 0.117 | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 0.117 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 0.117 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 0.115 | -1.7% |
| 1981 | 0.115 | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 0.112 | -2.6% |
| 1983 | 0.111 | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 0.108 | -2.7% |
| 1985 | 0.109 | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 0.109 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 0.109 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.108 | -0.9% |
| 1989 | 0.107 | -0.9% |
| 1990 | 0.114 | +6.5% |
| 1991 | 0.118 | +3.5% |
| 1992 | 0.173 | +46.6% |
| 1993 | 0.199 | +15.0% |
| 1994 | 0.2 | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 0.202 | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 0.202 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 0.201 | -0.5% |
| 1998 | 0.213 | +6.0% |
| 1999 | 0.213 | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 0.22 | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 0.22 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.24 | +9.1% |
| 2003 | 0.295 | +22.9% |
| 2004 | 0.295 | +0.0% |
| 2005 | 0.309 | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 0.295 | -4.5% |
| 2007 | 0.295 | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 0.249 | -15.6% |
| 2009 | 0.249 | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 0.288 | +15.7% |
| 2011 | 0.294 | +2.1% |
| 2012 | 0.293 | -0.3% |
| 2013 | 0.366 | +24.9% |
| 2014 | 0.376 | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 0.376 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.37 | -1.6% |
| 2017 | 0.359 | -3.0% |
| 2018 | 0.343 | -4.5% |
| 2019 | 0.34 | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 0.348 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 0.341 | -2.0% |
| 2022 | 0.37 | +8.5% |
| 2023 | 0.375 | +1.4% |
| 2024 | 0.358 | -4.5% |
| 2025 | 0.335 | -6.4% |
Kenya compared with similar countries
- Kenya's 0.335 is above the median for lower middle income countries, which is 0.2215, 1.5× the median. (46 countries reporting)
- Kenya's 0.335 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.2095, 1.6× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Participatory Democracy Index in Kenya changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | +250.0% | 0.026 | 0.091 |
| 1992 | +46.6% | 0.118 | 0.173 |
| 1928 | +33.3% | 0.015 | 0.02 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.012 | 0.012 | 0.012 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.012 | 0.012 | 0.012 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.0162 | 0.015 | 0.02 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.0195 | 0.018 | 0.021 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0209 | 0.02 | 0.021 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0222 | 0.021 | 0.024 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.0877 | 0.025 | 0.127 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.1155 | 0.114 | 0.117 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.1103 | 0.107 | 0.115 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1835 | 0.114 | 0.213 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2667 | 0.22 | 0.309 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3405 | 0.288 | 0.376 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.3545 | 0.335 | 0.375 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Kenya
More social development data for Kenya
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 617,125 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,325 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0002 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 13,325 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0107 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is participatory democracy index in Kenya?
- Participatory democracy index in Kenya was 0.335 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest participatory democracy index recorded in Kenya?
- The highest recorded value was 0.376 in 2014.
- What is the lowest participatory democracy index recorded in Kenya?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.012 in 1900.
- How does Kenya rank for participatory democracy index?
- Kenya ranks 78th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is participatory democracy index rising or falling in Kenya?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Kenya data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Participatory Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, as well as the extent to which citizens can engage in regional and local government, civil society organizations, and direct democracy.