Multiparty democracy and ethnic conflicts in Kenya
Abstract
The study examined the relationship between the re-introduction of multiparty democracy in Kenya and ethnic conflicts that accompanied the transition from one party to multiparty system in the country. In order to establish this relationship the study sought to determine the factors that influence people's political affiliation and their voting behavior under multiparty era in Kenya. Further we examined the factors that led to the rise of ethnic - nationalism and the advent of multiparty democracy in Kenya and investigated the nature and causes of conflicts that affected Kenya before, during and after the general multiparty elections of 1992 and 1997. The study also made recommendations on strategies for prevention and management of ethnic problems in Kenya and a mechanism for enhancing the practice of multiparty democracy in a multi-ethnic society like Kenya.
The study found out that ethnicity influences peoples political affiliation and voting behavior. The political elites especially those opposed to democratic transition and the state utilized ethnicity as a basis for mobilization. In the context of re-introduction of multiparty democracy in the 1990s, the study found that ethnic nationalism was a creation of the former ruling party elites and the patrimonial state. Their aim was to discredit the viability of multiparty democracy in Kenya and confuse the change.
Interestingly, the study discovered that indeed, multiparty democracy is not an important factor in explaining the rise of these conflicts. However the study revealed that these clashes were political conflicts between the conservative political elites aligned to the former state establishment and these of the opposition reformers supportive of change in this country. The conservative elites incited violence as a political strategy to win elections by instilling fear and despondency on the tribes that supported the change. The eviction was to deny them chance to vote and to punish them for shifting their political allegiance.
An important contribution to addressing the ethnic problem in Kenya will be to put in place legal and constitutional mechanism to contain the excesses of the state and the elites in using ethnicity as a basis of political mobilization and confront any incitements between or against communities for political expediency.
Citation
A thesis in partial fulfillment for the requirement of masters of arts degree in sociologyPublisher
Department of sociology