There are principally three basic types of electoral systems: the single-member constituency (first-past-post), the proportional representation electoral system also known as the List Proportional or some combination of the two – the mixed systems.

Kenya, like most other former British colonies, adopted the constituency-based single-member (also referred to as the first-past-the-post) electoral system at independence and has retained it ever since.

Currently the country has 210 constituencies each represented in parliament by a single MP elected on a one-man-one vote basis.

The constituency-based electoral system differs from the list proportional representation or simply PR electoral system where political parties draw up lists of those they want in parliament with the number of seats allocated to each party from the parties' list on the basis of the proportion of votes each party obtains. Thus the vote votes, not for the individual candidate but for the party list.

The proportional representation electoral system is used in most of the smaller European countries like Netherlands, many Latin American countries, South Africa and Namibia.

South Africa has a two-tier system where half the seats are voted for through a national vote while the other half are allocated proportionately on a province-by-province basis.

Under the proportional representation system, parties draw up lists of those they want to go to parliament.

The party bosses rank these and the number of seats each one gets is determined by the proportion of votes each of the parties receive.

Countries that use PR believe it is fairer and helps bring women, experts and representatives of special racial minorities into parliament.

Proportional representation also helps ensure that small, fringe parties are represented in parliament.

Critics, however, contend that PR puts too much power in the hands of party bosses.

They say that since there are no constituencies where the PR electoral system is practised, the voters do not have a representative. therefore they hardly ever see "their MP". this is especially true of the average voters in the rural areas.

There are several variations of proportional representation and semi PR: list PR where seats are allocated to parties on the basis of their total national vote; semi-PR or "parallel" system where half or some portion of seats are elected from single member constituencies and the remainder allocated to parties on the basis of their total national vote (also known as "hybrid" system).

There is also the mixed member proportional system where half or some portion of seats are elected from single member constituencies and the remainder allocated to parties to achieve the same allocations as would occur under list PR, that is, to achieve results that are highly proportional overall.

Germany, Lesotho and South Africa all use this method. The important point is to present the three main systems i.e single member constituency system, pure PR and the mixed system