As a general rule, the process of conflict outbreak involves three key stages, background, escalatiion and trigger. And the dispute over last months presidential election has aggravated those. This study presents a conceptual framework for understanding the conflict in one of the most dangerous regions of the world the caucasus. Herders and farmers although the recent violence in kenya has been described in the press as between pokot and samburu pastoralists. In kenya, political partiestend to be associated with particular ethnic groups, while competitive elections have displayed strong ethnic voting patterns lynch, 2011, 2. We have a dedicated site for kenya gpbook97817554994. Uncertainty, each ethnic conflict has its own unique characteristics and, in different contexts, some of these elements will be more prominent than the others, but all of them are the common denominators necessary for ethnic conflict to occur. Jan 31, 2008 the month of ethnic bloodletting in kenya has historic roots. Jan 17, 20 as more people are killed in ethnic violence in southeast kenya, fears are being raised of further conflict in the run up to the march presidential election.
Pdf ethnicity as the root cause of conflict and its. In developing country incidence were low and in the developing sever. Causes of the 2007 postelection violence in kenya and its intensity. The ethnic violence in kenya in the 1990s may be a thing of the past, but it is very much a part of the present. Women have been active in both promoting conflict and peacebuilding in pastoralist communities. A paradox emerges as in conflict theory, nations with ethnic diverse population are more susceptible to higher levels of inequality and therefore political instability as can be seen in kenyas political ethic violence miguel 2004. Since the period of decolonization, many of these places have been the scenes of significant.
Developing country management ethnic conflict by participation and justice policy that the equality is the best way for resolve this problem. Nov 02, 2014 a paradox emerges as in conflict theory, nations with ethnic diverse population are more susceptible to higher levels of inequality and therefore political instability as can be seen in kenyas political ethic violence miguel 2004. But incidence of ethnic violence was different in varying country. Whether clientelism, tribalism and ethnic conflict were a product not of tradition but of modernity in africa and a type of development is a difficult and complex question in many respects, but one to which i have a strong argument. Undercurrents of ethnic conflicts in kenya by john o. Amid rising ethnic tensions, kenyans fear poll could trigger. As more people are killed in ethnic violence in southeast kenya, fears are being raised of further conflict in the run up to the march presidential election. Jul 18, 2019 the kikuyu, luhya, luo, kalenjin, and kamba are the largest ethnic groups in kenya today. The scope and limits of government action, 2002, background paper for the world development report 2003. In a bid to increase enrolment free secondary education was recently initiated in 2008. The interplay of these elements is worth examining.
The researcher sampled joro, kuresoi and molo constituencies. The impact of past and potential ethnic conflicts on citeseerx. Download pdf the geography of ethnic violence free online. There have been some conflicts but not the kind of conflicts which have rocked other african countries through the decades. To understand how the countrys ethnic diversity is linked to these disputes, one must consider history. Kenya is an east african nation with an estimated population of 46. Clientelism, tribalism, and ethnic conflict in africa free. International law and ethnic conflict first covers general philosophical, historical, and cultural issues arising from attempts to apply international law to ethnic conflict. Download pdf the geography of ethnic violence free. About gsdrc gsdrc is a partnership of research institutes, thinktanks and consultancy organisations with expertise in governance, social development, humanitarian and conflict issues. Nasongos preface sets the stage for the roots of ethnic conflict in africa. Ethnic politics, postelection, violence jomo kenyatta, and kenya. From grievance to violence, an edited volume, which has three illustrations, nine chapters, a rich bibliography, and an index.
In african states that have a multi ethnic character, these intrastate conflicts have often pitted ethnic communities against each other. Ethnic politics in kenya violence in twentieth century africa. The focus on tribal identities, however, fails to highlight the relevance of land disputes. Kenya remains a country divided into different ethnic communities, but all suffer from the common history of an. Within 2 months, the incumbent and the challenger had agreed to a powersharing agreement and a government of national unity. The modern israelpalestine conflict has been going on since the 20th century due to the balfour declaration. How kenya could move away from the politics of ethnicity. Indeed, if they did not, nearly every village and province in africa would be a cauldron of conflict. Questions and answers about the conflict in kenya the. We provide applied knowledge services on demand and online. Sources ethnic conflict ethnic conflict ethnic conflict how long has there been tension andor conflict there. Amid rising ethnic tensions, kenyans fear poll could. The nakuru county peace accord or rift valley peace accord refers to the peace agreement signed on 19 august 2012 between elders of the agikuyu see also kikuyu and kalenjin communities as well as other ethnic groups of kenya the agreement was signed following a 16monthlong peace process led by the national cohesion and integration commission ncic to address sources of ethnic.
Theoretical approaches to ethnicity and ethnic conflict. By proposing a typology of armed conflict, the study seeks to achieve analytical clarity and contribute to conflict analysis. Amid rising ethnic tensions, kenyans fear poll could trigger fresh violence. Africa, most ethnic groups in africa coexist peacefully with high degrees of mixing through interethnic marriage, economic partnerships, and shared values. Kenya is made up of over 40 ethnic groups and in 2008 these groups were part of a. Pdf ethnicity as the root cause of conflict and its effect. The most recent violence in kenya has roots in a complex mixture of ethnic conflict, economic exigencies related to climate change, and national and local politics.
It also represents a good ethnic mix of the kikuyu, the kalenjin, kisii, ogiek, luo. I present evidence from the regime changes in zambia and kenya in 1991 and 1992 to show that it has. Project muse the roots of ethnic conflict in africa. This book focuses on the problem of ethnic conflict in africa and seeks to explain its root causes. The roots of ethnic conflict in africa from grievance to. The country has multiple ethnic groups that occupy different regions in the nation each with their language. Questions and answers about the conflict in kenya originally published january 4, 2008 at 12. Dynamic development in a sustainable world washington, dc. Taking stock of a political crisis at the university of the witwatersrand, johannesburg, on 18 july 2008. The month of ethnic bloodletting in kenya has historic roots. Most countries in subsaharan africa are home to diverse ethnic groups living together within borders that were arbitrarily drawn during the colonial period.
Ethnic and political conflicts since independence in 1963, kenya has been known to be a relatively peaceful country. Kenya is a patriarchal society and has high levels of. Monica toft introduces and tests a theory of ethnic violence, one that provides a compelling general explanation of not only most ethnic violence, civil wars, and terrorism but. The geography of ethnic violence is the first among numerous distinguished books on ethnic violence to clarify the vital role of territory in explaining such conflict. This 58page report presents the dangers of violence due to government failures to carry out needed reforms. The article is specifically about ethnic conflict its causes, instances. Ethnic conflicts in kenya occur frequently, although most are minor skirmishes. Pdf this article argues that ethnic conflicts in africa often have structural sources. Ethnic tensions are an enduring phenomenon in kenyan national life. The severe economic and social problems facing the kenyan population, caused in no small part by political corruption and exploitation both before and after independence, overshadow the role of ethnicity in the current conflict. One of the key drivers of conflict in kenya is the dimension of community identities which is itself closely related to the issue of land, borders and associated historical grievances plus a challenging regional environment and political transition. Cover page ethnicity and politicization in kenya kenyan map picture the national study ethnicity and politicization in kenya graphic map table of contents missing table of contents table of contents inserted. Pdf ethnic conflict download full pdf book download. Ethnic and political conflicts in kenya intercontinental.
This paper was presented during a workshop on kenya with the theme conflict resolution in kenya. This book investigates the role of sociocultural origins. Oct 29, 2017 amid rising ethnic tensions, kenyans fear poll could trigger fresh violence. The starting point for my analysis is the observation that african political systems. Ethnic collective action, according to mozaffar, is predominantly a process of strategic political interaction between selfinterested actors with divergent interests. Grievances over land and privilege date back decades. Nakuru county was chosen because it has had a history of aggravated incidences of armed ethnic conflict from 1991 to 2008. It gives a clear view about historical and contemporary negative ethnicity in kenya.
The sociocultural, ethnic and historic foundations of. Competing theories of ethnic conflict in the caucasus abstract. Ethnic politics and postelection violence of 20078 in kenya. Jun 25, 2017 kenya must address the problem of tribalism and ethnic violence. This declaration promised land for the israeli state in. The preface provides a general overview of the ideas on which the book rests. Aug 04, 2017 murithi mutiga is senior kenya analyst for the international crisis group, a conflictprevention organisation fri 4 aug 2017 09.
The official language is english as the country was formerly a british colony, while kiswahili is the national language. The countrys struggle for independence was bitter and explosive, then a racial conflict that pitted africans against the colonialists. The land and the people, modern and traditional ways author. Kenya, a former colony par excellence, which underwent a bitter colonial experience very, much like south africas apartheid and zimbabwes model, makes a good case study on ethnic conflict. Murithi mutiga is senior kenya analyst for the international crisis group, a conflictprevention organisation fri 4 aug 2017 09. Page 1 acknowledgement the whole text replacement of the whole acknowledgment text. In kenya, ethnic tensions are intertwined with longstanding. The study in this paper is about the scholarly view on concepts which are consistent with the study topic. According to a popular narrative, ethnic tensions drive kenyas political conflicts. Ethnic groups are defined as a community of people who share cultural and linguistic characteristics including history, tradition, myth, and origin. Managing ethnic conflict in africa demonstrates how negotiation and mediation can promote conflict resolution and a political environment that fosters economic development. Since independence in 1963, kenya has been known to be a relatively peaceful country. In the case of ethnic conflicts, these realities also entail cleavages. Pdf structural causes of ethnic conflict researchgate.
Even ordinary kenyans could only ignore kanu at the pain of personal grief. The authors assess the legitimacy of demands based on group identity, the legal rights of ethnic groups, the validity of various entitlement claims, and the meaning of. Ethnic politicking has been a problem in kenya since kenya gained independence in 1961 and uhurus father, jomo kenyatta, came into power bbc, 2015. It could be argued that the state of peace in kenya is complex. The severity of the crisis led french foreign and european affairs minister, bernard kouchner, to appeal to the united nations security council unsc in january 2008 to react in the name of the responsibility to protect before kenya plunged into a deadly ethnic conflict. A case of wajir county bishar hussein salad a project report submitted in partial fulfillment of requirement for the award of master of arts degree in project planning and management of the university of nairobi 2015. The causes of ethnic conflict in multiethnic societies. Kenya must address the problem of tribalism and ethnic violence. A significant increase in the severity of such conflicts between the various ethnic groups inhabiting the country was witnessed after the introduction of multiparty politics in the early 1990s, especially during the 200708 kenyan crisis. Armed conflicts report kenya department of justice. Ethnic politics in kenya violence in twentieth century.
Many attacks are based on ethnic affiliation and are used to punish certain groups. The main thesis of the book is that ethnic political mobilization is essentially a function of deeplyfelt grievances on the part of the groups so mobilized. More immediately, what stoked the conflict is the construction of political coalitions around kenya s 42 ethnic groups, although the 2007 election. Causes of religious conflicts in kenya religious conflict in kenya is in most cases linked to general intercommunal conflict and follows almost synonymous pattern as that of inter ethnic conflict.
To do this leaders must critically examine the concept of political ideology. It offers a compelling case for the use of both political incentives power sharing, elections, and fiscal programs and a variety of actions including principles of. In kenya, ethnic tensions are intertwined with long. The roots of ethnic conflict in africa usiua digital repository. Scholars have been trying to develop a theoretical approach to ethnicity and ethnic conflict for a long time. That ethnic conflict is now a pervasive and salient dimension of political and social conflict in several countries in the world seems obvious enough. Kenyas 2007 general election results announcement precipitated the worst ethnic conflict in the countrys history. Pdf this paper examines the ethnicity as an issue prevailing upon the kenyan society and its. Political violence and the 20 elections in kenya hrw. For example, gurr 1993 identifies about 80 raging ethnic conflicts, of which about 35 could be classified as or close to civil wars in different parts of the world. This book investigates the role of sociocultural origins of ethnic.