Mwai Kibaki vs Zuzana Caputova

Mwai Kibaki, as candidate of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC), won the presidential election, defeating Uhuru Kenyatta of the Kenya African National Union (KANU). This ended KANU's 39-year rule and marked Kenya's first peaceful transfer of power since independence.

Kibaki's government introduced free primary education, abolishing tuition fees for public primary schools. This policy led to a surge in enrollment from 5.9 million to 7.2 million children within a year, significantly improving access to education across Kenya.

Kibaki implemented the Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation (ERS), focusing on macroeconomic stability, infrastructure investment, and privatization. Kenya's GDP growth averaged over 5% annually from 2004 to 2007, reversing a decade of stagnation.

After Kibaki was declared winner of the disputed 2007 presidential election, opposition supporters protested, leading to ethnic violence that killed over 1,100 people and displaced 600,000. The crisis ended with a power-sharing agreement that created a coalition government with Raila Odinga as Prime Minister.

Kibaki oversaw the passage of a new constitution in a national referendum, which devolved power to 47 counties, introduced a bill of rights, and limited presidential powers. The constitution was a key outcome of the 2008 peace agreement and reshaped Kenya's governance structure.

Zuzana Caputova won the presidential election with 58% of the vote, becoming the first female president of Slovakia. Her campaign focused on anti-corruption, environmental protection, and judicial reform, appealing to voters disillusioned with established politics.

After the collapse of the coalition government, Caputova appointed a technocratic cabinet led by Eduard Heger to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and political crisis. The government lasted until the 2023 elections.

Caputova vetoed a law that would have allowed the government to dissolve the public broadcaster RTVS, arguing it threatened media independence. The veto was overridden by parliament, but she continued to defend press freedom.

Caputova announced she would not seek a second term, citing personal reasons and the toxic political climate. Her decision opened the field for new candidates and highlighted challenges in Slovak politics.