Management of electoral conflicts : a study of post-election violence mediation in Kenya, 2008
Abstract
This study examines the management of electoral conflicts with emphasis on a case study of the post election violence mediation in Kenya, 2008. The study seeks to explore the mechanisms for conflict management in the context of electoral conflict. The December, 2007 general election in Kenya was relatively calm before the proclamation of the presidential poll results on 30th December 2007. The re-election of incumbent President Mwai Kibaki of the Party of National Unity was contested by the closest
opposition candidate Raila Odinga of the Orange Democratic Movement.
The later declined to pursue the institutionalized structures for adjudication of election result disputes and rejected the legitimacy of President Kibaki' s election. This was the advent of a violent electoral conflict.
The conflict situation became manifest and developed into coercive conflict behaviour and violent activities. The preventive mechanisms for containing disruptive behaviour could not respond effectively to bring an end to the violence. It is in this environment that the conflict was internationalized and a Panel of Eminent Personalities headed by Kofi Annan entered to mediate the conflict under the auspices of the African Union.
This study contends that the functional failure of the institutionalized structures for management of electoral conflicts demonstrates a deficiency in the system. The study further examines the third party role in conflict management. It argues that when bilateral efforts of the conflicting parties fail and conflict has crossed the threshold into violent conflict, alternative strategies of conflict management should be adopted to contain the conflict from disrupting other social activities and bring an end to violence.
Publisher
University of Nairobi, Kenya