As this special issue went to press we received the sad news that Professor Joel Barkan, one of the leading scholars of Kenya for over 40 years, had passed away. Joel was an inspiration and mentor to many students of Kenya both because his work on elections, MPs and the legislature broke new ground, and because he was always willing to share his knowledge and experience with others. He was that rare combination: a great person and a great scholar.
Over the years Joel's interest and fondness for Kenya never dimmed. As Professor Makua Mutua recently put it, ‘He loved Kenya as much as any Kenyan I know.’ Joel personally observed most Kenyan elections and wrote extensively on the country, editing two seminal collections and publishing a plethora of important journal articles. Few others have written so consistently and so influentially about Kenyan politics. While Joel did not directly contribute an article to this volume, his fingerprints can be found on every page.
This special issue is dedicated to his memory.
Nic Cheeseman
Gabrielle Lynch
Justin Willis