The Link Between Marginalization, Poor Governance And Youth Instigated Conflicts In Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Kenya has experienced different forms of conflict both in rural areas and urban areas. Although increased levels of inter-community and intra-community conflict have been experienced in rural areas, urban areas have over the past decades not been an exception, as they experienced varying types of conflicts. The conflict experienced in urban areas have been attributed to many causes. Despite the recognition that conflict in urban areas are caused by several factors, little has been done to examine the causes of youth instigated conflicts in urban areas. Thus, this studywas carried out to investigate the links between poor governance, marginalization and youth instigated conflicts in Nairobi County. Specifically, this study sought to examine the link between poor governance and youth instigated violence, to examine how marginalization instigate youth conflict and the strategies that have been initiated by the government to suppress youth instigated conflict. The study was based on human needs theory. Mixed method research methodology was adopted as the research design. The study had a sample size of 100, which included 80 youths and 20 key informants from government and NGO officials in Nairobi County. Semi-structured questionnaire and key interview guide was used to collected data from the respondents. Content analysis was used to analyze the study findings. The study results revealed that poor governance is a cause of youth instigated conflict through socio-economic inequality and inequality in resource distribution, lack of youth participation, lack of unemployment and employment opportunities, politicization of ethnicity. Further the study revealed that poor governance has been a cause of youth instigated conflict through mismanagement and poor leadership, corruption, lack of transparency and accountability and electoral grievances. The results indicated that the strategies that the government has used to suppress conflict involve promoting youth affirmation, through using constituency development fund and devolution to promote equality of resource distribution, pursuance of electoral reform and justice and through youth empowerment funds and NYS activities. Thus, it can be concluded that marginalization and poor governance are cause for youth instigated conflict. The study recommends that the government needs to adopt a multipronged strategy that will target both poor governance and marginalization at systemic levels.