The Impact of Political Security on Human Development in Kenya and Its Global Image

Abstract

The aim of the study was to draw a relationship between political security (independent variable) and human development (dependent variable) in Kenya and its implication on Kenya’s global image (intervening variable), by focusing on three variables of political security; right to vote, freedom of the press and free and fair elections. This study employed a cross-sectional research method. The target population was drawn from Amnesty International Kenya, Civil Rights Defenders-African Segment, Media Council of Kenya, International Society for Human Rights- East Africa Chapter, Kenya Human Rights Commission, International IDEA, Centre for Multiparty Democracy-Kenya as these groups focus on specific aspect of political security and therefore resourceful. The researcher also employed secondary data to measure Kenya's global image through analysis of ranking reports (indices) from Reporters Without Borders from 2013-2021 (reports are available from 2013) and World Bank GovData360 reports from 2002-2017 on electoral participation (right to vote) and free and fair elections covering four election cycles. Stratified sampling design was used in this study. The study used a sample size of 90 respondents. Questions were aligned to the study objectives on the right to vote, freedom of the press and free and fair elections. Kenya was chosen as an area of study informed by the restrictive movement measures put internationally due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic at the time of this study. The study concluded that even though political security had a bearing on human development in Kenya it had no impact on Kenya’s global image. The study recommends the promotion of right to vote, freedom of the press and free and fair elections by Kenya as prerequisite for human development and its contribution to the global human security agenda.