Alexander Kerensky vs Mwai Kibaki

After the February Revolution, Kerensky was appointed Minister of Justice in the Provisional Government. He was the only socialist in the cabinet and became a key figure in the government, advocating for continued war effort and gradual reforms.

Kerensky, as Prime Minister, accused General Lavr Kornilov of attempting a coup and dismissed him. Kornilov then marched troops toward Petrograd. Kerensky armed the Bolshevik Red Guards to defend the city, which strengthened the Bolsheviks' position and undermined the Provisional Government.

During the October Revolution, Bolshevik forces led by Lenin seized key points in Petrograd and stormed the Winter Palace. Kerensky fled the city in a car provided by the American embassy, leaving the Provisional Government to collapse. He later went into exile.

After fleeing Russia, Kerensky settled in Paris and later the United States. He wrote memoirs and continued to advocate for democratic socialism, but failed to gain significant support. He remained a controversial figure, blamed by both the left and right for the failure of the Provisional Government.

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.