This paper examines the expectations and realities of the influence of the US-based Kenyan diaspora during the lead up to the 2013 Kenyan elections. The 2013 Kenyan elections, important to a number of domestic and international actors, could have proved a galvanizing event for the diaspora: the international community had identified Kenya at elevated risk for electoral violence, substantial changes to domestic institutions were undertaken following the high profile 2007–2008 post-election violence, and there had been considerable discussion of engaging the diaspora since the last election. Despite the superior economic power of the Kenyan diaspora compared to other African diaspora communities, we find that the Kenyan diaspora did not play a significant role in the organization or outcome of these elections. The result appears counter-intuitive, as the diaspora is financially powerful and garners significant attention from political leaders. Instead, we find that the Kenyan diaspora did not politicize its remittances and had greater influence in other sectors like economic development. The case of the Kenyan diaspora shows that it is important to understand the source, limitations, and political dynamics impacting diaspora groups; the amount of money they send home or the attention these groups receive in domestic politics is not always a good indicator of their political strength.

中文翻译：

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美国的肯尼亚侨民和 2013 年的选举：当金钱不等于权力时

本文考察了在 2013 年肯尼亚选举之前居住在美国的肯尼亚侨民影响的期望和现实。2013 年肯尼亚选举对许多国内和国际行为体都很重要，本可以证明是对散居国外者来说是一个振奋人心的事件：国际社会已经确定肯尼亚面临选举暴力的高风险，继 2007 – 2008 年选举后的暴力事件，自上次选举以来，关于与侨民接触的问题进行了大量讨论。尽管与其他非洲侨民社区相比，肯尼亚侨民具有优越的经济实力，但我们发现肯尼亚侨民在这些选举的组织或结果中并没有发挥重要作用。结果似乎违反直觉，由于侨民在经济上很强大，并引起了政治领导人的极大关注。相反，我们发现肯尼亚侨民并未将其汇款政治化，并且在经济发展等其他领域具有更大的影响力。肯尼亚侨民的案例表明，了解影响侨民群体的来源、局限性和政治动态很重要；他们寄回家的钱或这些团体在国内政治中受到的关注并不总是他们政治实力的良好指标。肯尼亚侨民的案例表明，了解影响侨民群体的来源、局限性和政治动态很重要；他们寄回家的钱或这些团体在国内政治中受到的关注并不总是他们政治实力的良好指标。肯尼亚侨民的案例表明，了解影响侨民群体的来源、局限性和政治动态很重要；他们寄回家的钱或这些团体在国内政治中受到的关注并不总是他们政治实力的良好指标。