Its central thesis is that ethnic conflict in the country then was a function of several issues, among them ethnocentrism, politics, the land question and criminal behaviour in certain circles. Throughout ugandas political history, ethnicity has been a major factor behind murderous campaigns, socialeconomic exclusion and political control. It is how they are accommodated in the state and the. Today, kenya is more ethnically divided than it has ever been before in the history of its existence.
This book analyses the ethnic conflict that engulfed kenya s rift valley province at the turn of the nineties when multiparty democratic politics were being reintroduced in the country. And the dispute over last months presidential election has. Ethnic conflict in ugandas political history by chrispas. Scholars have been trying to develop a theoretical approach to ethnicity and ethnic conflict for a long time. The modern israelpalestine conflict has been going on since the 20th century due to the balfour declaration. 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. Theoretical approaches to ethnicity and ethnic conflict.
Download limit exceeded you have exceeded your daily download allowance. This inquiry will look at ethnic conflicts and possible causes within. Kenya is a patriarchal society and has high levels of. There has been a popular misconception that africas numerous wars and conflicts are caused by ethnicity. And the dispute over last months presidential election has aggravated those. Ethnic groups are defined as a community of people who share cultural and linguistic characteristics including history, tradition, myth, and origin. It is how they are accommodated in the state and the policies, which govern their social expression, which ensure whether they become easy and enriching facilities in the plural societies of our times, or exploitable reference points by rival ruling or dominant elites. Negative ethnicity brings about marginalization, distrust and heightens ethnic tensions and this eventually leads to conflict, for example, the 1992. In developing country incidence were low and in the developing sever. The countrys struggle for independence was bitter and explosive, then a. Kenyas political instability also manifests in border disputes between county territories exacerbated by a severe drought, and politicians strategic exploitation of ethnic division. If we look to kenya, there is a long history of political tribalism. Ethnic tensions are an enduring phenomenon in kenyan national life. Conflict and state security in the horn of africa 41 that determine relationships.
Kenya and uganda pastoral conflict case study this case study will analyse the nature of pastoral conflict and its implications for the border areas of kenya and uganda. Developing country management ethnic conflict by participation and justice policy that the equality is the best way for resolve this problem. As a general rule, the process of conflict outbreak involves three key stages, background, escalatiion and trigger. 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. 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. Causes of the 2007 postelection violence in kenya and its intensity. To prevent continued cycles of armed ethnic conflict, peace education should be employed and it should seek to promote peace and tolerance. Indeed, if they did not, nearly every village and province in africa would be a cauldron of conflict. The most significant conflict witnessed since kenyas independence from britain was the 200708 kenyan crisis, a series of interethnic clashes ignited by the 2007 disputed presidential elections by the beginning of 2008, an estimated one third of the 2,200 member indian community in kisumu, which controlled most of the citys trade, had begun repatriating back home in the wake of the. In african states that have a multi ethnic character, these intrastate conflicts have often pitted ethnic communities against each other. Apr 09, 2001 page 24 in their consequences they differ precisely in this way. The study in this paper is about the scholarly view on concepts which are consistent with the study topic. Herders and farmers although the recent violence in kenya has been described in the press as between pokot and samburu pastoralists.
The basis of understanding conflict, security and collective wellbeing of people includes relationships that dominate interactions of two or more entities in contact with one another. But incidence of ethnic violence was different in varying country. Our model applies equally well to groups that form based on the geographical base of their membership. Ethnic conflicts in kenya occur frequently, although most are minor skirmishes.
Drawing material from dozens of divided societies, donald l. Ethnic conflict in africa is reaching critical levels. 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. 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. Many attacks are based on ethnic affiliation and are used to punish certain groups. According to him, conflict is caused by the increase of population in geometrical progression and the food supply in arithmetical progression. Only the major ethnic conflicts with corresponding articles should be included. This paper attempts to demonstrate that this idea is mistaken. Effects of armed ethnic conflict on education of children.
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. The notion of kenya as a ticking time bomb is prevalent within the local population. The grievance, due political and thusly social exclusion, was directed towards the kikuyus, kibakis ethnic groups, and largest ethnic group in kenya and drew in other marginalised ethnic groups against them such as the luo. African wars and ethnic conflicts human development reports. Ethnic conflict has come to mean cleavages between groups based on differentiations in ethnic identities. Horowitz constructs his theory of ethnic conflict, relating ethnic affiliations to kinship and intergroup relations to the fear of domination. Ethnic characteristics are a universal and ubiquitous feature of humanity. There is a widespread expectation that violent conflict could erupt even before the 2017 elections as the longstanding grievances that fueled violence in 200708, and were merely suppressed during the 20 general elections, have not been resolved. The causes of ethnic conflict in multiethnic societies.
If you wish to distribute this article to others, you can order highquality copies for your following the guidelines here. 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. It is up to the people and the leaders to make sure that it doesnt happen. Ethnic and political conflicts since independence in 1963, kenya has been known to be a relatively peaceful country. Undercurrents of ethnic conflicts in kenya by john o. Existence of traditional conflict resolution mechanisms such as negotiation, reconciliation, mediation and others is evidence that these concepts are not new in africa. Ethnic groups in conflict, updated edition with a new preface. The month of ethnic bloodletting in kenya has historic roots. 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. This declaration promised land for the israeli state in. A major question that arises from the above definition of ethnic group is whether people must share commonalties in all the criteria mentioned to be members of. Jan 31, 2008 the month of ethnic bloodletting in kenya has historic roots. Map showing the distribution of kenyas main ethnic groups 28. In uganda, ethnicity has manifested itself in overtly negative terms and has been a source of conflict rather than unification.
Ethnic and political conflicts in kenya intercontinental. Managing ethnic conflict in africa demonstrates how negotiation and mediation can promote conflict resolution and a political environment that fosters economic development. Murithi mutiga is senior kenya analyst for the international crisis group, a conflictprevention organisation fri 4 aug 2017 09. Traditional conflict resolution mechanisms and institutions. 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. Pdf ethnicity as the root cause of conflict and its. The most pronounced characteristics of kenya s governance since independence in 1963 are ethnicity, ethnic conflict and the politics of patronage and clientelism. Ethnic groups in conflict, updated edition with a new. Most countries in subsaharan africa are home to diverse ethnic groups living together within borders that were arbitrarily drawn during the colonial period. Grievances over land and privilege date back decades. The drought has pushed herders into farmlands in search of pasture. Ethnic politicking has been a problem in kenya since kenya gained independence in 1961 and uhurus father, jomo kenyatta, came into power bbc, 2015. The most brutal example of racial and ethnic conflict hindering democracy in africa came at the same time that south africa was ending apartheid.
It gives a clear view about historical and contemporary negative ethnicity in kenya. 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. Women have been active in both promoting conflict and peacebuilding in pastoralist communities. Aug 04, 2017 murithi mutiga is senior kenya analyst for the international crisis group, a conflictprevention organisation fri 4 aug 2017 09. The most pronounced characteristics of kenyas governance since independence in 1963 are ethnicity, ethnic conflict and the politics of patronage and clientelism. While the chance is small that august 2017 elections ignite a major conflict, county governorship races could well trigger interethnic clashes in the rift valley, kenyas populous economic heart. Its central thesis is that ethnic conflict in the country then was a function of several issues, among them ethnocentrism, politics, the land question and. Taking stock of a political crisis at the university of the witwatersrand, johannesburg, on 18 july 2008. Reducing political and ethnic conflict in kenya global. The interplay of these elements is worth examining. Through the usaidfunded kenya tuna uwezo program, global communities has been working with local partners peacenet and kitua cha sheria to reduce conflict and promote peace among residents in nairobis informal settlements. Ethnic conflict is defined as any episode of sustained violent conflict in which national, ethnic, and religious or other communal minorities challenge governments to seek major changes in status bates et.
This paper was presented during a workshop on kenya with the theme conflict resolution in kenya. While the chance is small that august 2017 elections ignite a major conflict, county governorship races could well trigger inter ethnic clashes in the rift valley, kenya s populous economic heart. Sources ethnic conflict ethnic conflict ethnic conflict how long has there been tension andor conflict there. When one groups army enters a city in enemy territory, its soldiers can be pretty condent that the overwhelming. Malthus, the eminent economist says that reduced supply of the means of subsistence is the root cause of conflict. Reducing political and ethnic conflict in kenya through the usaidfunded kenya tuna uwezo program, global communities has been working with local partners peacenet and kitua cha sheria to reduce conflict and promote peace among residents in nairobis informal settlements. While insecurity and conflict in these areas is often characterised as arising from competition over scarce resources, there are broader dimensions to these conflicts. Ethnic tensions threaten to engulf postelection kenya. In spite of all these policies and kenya being a signatory of these conventions, armed ethnic conflict continues and has become a recurrent feature along generation lines. While the infomal settlements of nairobi have a history of crime and gang warfare, the disputed national election of 2007. Some even tried to use the ethnic conflict card to their own advantage.
Since the period of decolonization, many of these places have been the scenes of significant. Africa, most ethnic groups in africa coexist peacefully with high degrees of mixing through interethnic marriage, economic partnerships, and shared values. African wars and ethnic conflicts human development. Ethnic politics in kenya violence in twentieth century africa. Armed conflict location and event data project acled. A groundbreaking work when it was published in 1985, the book remains an original and powerfully argued comparative analysis of one of the most important forces in the contemporary world. Theory and facts this copy is for your personal, noncommercial use only. 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. A major question that arises from the above definition of ethnic group is whether people must share commonalties in all the criteria mentioned to be members of the same ethnic group or to share the same ethnicity. That ethnic conflict is now a pervasive and salient dimension of political and social conflict in several countries in the world seems obvious enough. The government should train police in nonviolent methods that deescalate crises, and restart grassroots peacebuilding initiatives.
Politics and ethnoreligious violence in kenya in summer 2010 consuelo amat conducted a series of interviews with religious and political actors in kenya as part of an ongoing research initiative at the berkley center for religion, peace, and world affairs. In kenya, political partiestend to be associated with particular ethnic groups, while competitive elections have displayed strong ethnic voting patterns lynch, 2011, 2. The article is specifically about ethnic conflict its causes, instances. Ethnic politics in kenya violence in twentieth century.
There have been some conflicts but not the kind of conflicts which have rocked other african countries through the decades. It could be argued that the state of peace in kenya is complex. And the potential for civil unresteven violent encountersthroughout. The countrys struggle for independence was bitter and explosive, then a racial conflict that pitted africans against the colonialists. This paper focuses on the salience of ethnicity in kenya since the return to political pluralism in. Kenyas public prosecution office has now summoned for questioning 20 representatives from both sides who are suspected of.
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