Causes of ethnic conflict in kenya pdf

It has been experienced with a number of armed conflicts, ethnolinguistic disputes, religious radicalism where in it catches the attention of most developed nations including us for their strategic interest over the region. The impact of past and potential ethnic conflicts on citeseerx. This was widely confirmed by international observers, as being. Supporters of kibakis opponent, raila odinga of the orange democratic movement, alleged electoral manipulation. Dynamic development in a sustainable world washington, dc. To focus on own parcels, we exclude 381 parcels that were rented in for rent payments. In this paper, i perform an analysis of the conflict to examine why widespread violence erupted in the wake of kibakis presidential reelection. The month of ethnic bloodletting in kenya has historic roots. Literature concerning ethnic conflict generally consists of similar methods and forms of analysis, focusing on ethnic conflict in broad terms and employing large nsize studies. Ethnic politics in kenya violence in twentieth century. This could be brought about by the fundamental differences in the cultures of those different ethnic groupings. Ethnic and political conflicts since independence in 1963, kenya has been known to be a relatively peaceful country.

This article argues that ethnic conflicts in africa often have structural sources. Causes of the 2007 postelection violence in kenya and its intensity. Importantly, ethnic conflict has gained much attention since the end of the cold war. 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. And the dispute over last months presidential election has. Public perceptions on government agencies effectiveness in addressing conflict in isiolo30. The transitional authorities and their international partners must address crucial issues by implementing a comprehensive disarmament. Murithi mutiga is senior kenya analyst for the international crisis group, a conflictprevention organisation fri 4 aug 2017 09.

Developing country management ethnic conflict by participation and justice policy that the equality is the best way for resolve this problem. Pdf ethnicity as the root cause of conflict and its. Download limit exceeded you have exceeded your daily download allowance. One of the leading causes of conflict in kenya is when individuals clash over limited resources such as land and water. I conclude that ethnicity is only a superficial cause of the violence in kenya, and that. Ethnic conflict in the form of terrorism, riots, governmentsanctioned attacks on civilians, destruction of property and assassinations have caused more than 3,00,000 deaths since the early 1980s, and the forced relocation of hundreds of thousands of tamils and others. The causes of ethnic conflicts byu scholarsarchive. Kenya is a patriarchal society and has high levels of. Since the period of decolonization, many of these places have been the scenes of significant. The impact of ethnic conflict on economic development. As far back as 1969, civil society, led by faithbased entities, headed calls for the government to address issues of peaceful coexistence among communities.

Aug 04, 2017 murithi mutiga is senior kenya analyst for the international crisis group, a conflictprevention organisation fri 4 aug 2017 09. They arise from anomalous economic, political and social structures prevalent in many african societies. Conflict usually occurs primarily as a result of a clash of interests in the relationship between parties, groups or states, either because they pursuing opposing or incompatible goals. Numerous theories and much research attempts to explain the causes of ethnic conflict. Igbohausa feud that began after the military coup and countercoup of 1966, culminating in the civil war in 1967, efikibibio conflict, tivjukun debacle, fulanibirom clashes, and itsekiriurhoboijaw conflict in the niger delta. Grievances over land and privilege date back decades.

Ethnic conflict is an armed warfare between ethnic groups. In central african republic, the conflict between armed groups is now compounded by a conflict between armed communities. The armed ethnic conflicts in kenya are further exacerbated by. The horn of africa hoa has been mentioned as one of the most disputed regions of the globe. Indeed, if they did not, nearly every village and province in africa would be a cauldron of conflict.

Based on a qualitative analysis of conflict in africa, this paper has identified broad types of conflict in order to understand better the conflict dynamics, causes and drivers on the continent. Africa, most ethnic groups in africa coexist peacefully with high degrees of mixing through interethnic marriage, economic partnerships, and shared values. Ethnic politicking has been a problem in kenya since kenya gained independence in 1961 and uhurus father, jomo kenyatta, came into power bbc, 2015. Since we have looked at some of the causes of conflict in africa, let us come back home and look at some of the sources of conflict in our country. It gives a clear view about historical and contemporary negative ethnicity in kenya. Mau mau armed resistance movement established by african communities mostly from the central kenya region whose task was to fight for kenyas independence. Theorists believe that competition for scarce resources is a common factor in almost all ethnic conflicts in africa. Most countries in subsaharan africa are home to diverse ethnic groups living together within borders that were arbitrarily drawn during the colonial period. According to him, conflict is caused by the increase of population in geometrical progression and the food supply in arithmetical progression. The countrys struggle for independence was bitter and explosive, then a.

With regard to conflict, the aprm has stated as one of its objectives the prevention and reduction of inter and intrastate conflict. Women have been active in both promoting conflict and peacebuilding in pastoralist communities. This was after tom mboya, one of kenya s vibrant intellectual and political icons, was murdered in moi avenue nairobi. 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. The root causes of conflicts in the horn of africa science. The history of ethnic conflicts in kenya is long traced from the colonial era. We find that the sampled households are worried about future land conflicts on 9. Finally, in section vi, i reassess the conflict in kenya by incorporating kenyas. It is up to the people and the leaders to make sure that it doesnt happen. It could be argued that the state of peace in kenya is complex. But incidence of ethnic violence was different in varying country. Pdf this article argues that ethnic conflicts in africa often have.

Mar 02, 2015 the horn of africa hoa has been mentioned as one of the most disputed regions of the globe. The roadmap to end the crisis including elections late 2015 presents only a shortterm answer and risks exacerbating existing tensions. Evaluating kenyas conflict prevention success challenging the claims of peace international election observers and diplomats celebrated the march 20 general elections as peaceful. We still include, however, parcels that were borrowed from relatives or others for free. The root causes of the conflict in somalia history essay. The roots cause of cross border conflict in gambella.

In developing country incidence were low and in the developing sever. Ethnic conflicts in kenya occur frequently, although most are minor skirmishes. Pdf structural causes of ethnic conflict researchgate. One of the long term causes of the clashes in kenya is attributed to the. Walter oyugi, politicized ethnic conflict in kenya.

The study in this paper is about the scholarly view on concepts which are consistent with the study topic. To focus on own parcels, we exclude 381 parcels that were rentedin for rent payments. The causes of these various conflicts are related to kenyas deep and. Due to the politicized nature of ethnicity in kenya, communal conflicts have tended to. History of tribalism in kenya looking back at the precolonial periods, the main opposing tribes like luo, kisii, and luhya of western kenya and the kikuyu, meru, and embu from central kenya had little to. In kenya, ethnic communities are generally classified into bantu, nilotes and cushites. Ethnic and political conflicts in kenya intercontinental. This was after tom mboya, one of kenyas vibrant intellectual and political icons, was murdered in moi avenue nairobi. 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. Therefore, identifying the root causes of the ethnics or pastoralists cross border conflict is of paramount important. Various peripheral and internal actors have played different roles during the various stages of the conflict.

Ethnic tensions are an enduring phenomenon in kenyan national life. Kenya continues to face peace and security challenges that hinder economic development and which disproportionately. 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. A historical overview of armed ethnic conflict in kenya kenya has emerged as a nation characterized by armed conflict in many of its provinces. 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. 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. This article is aimed to identify the roots cause of the cross border conflict in gambella regional, the case of jikanynuer and lounuer communities. Ethnic politics in kenya violence in twentieth century africa. The following article will examine how tribalism in kenya started, its causes, effects and suggested solutions to end this terrible disease. Nicholas sambanis, preventing violent civil conflict.

The scope and limits of government action, 2002, background paper for the world development report 2003. There have been some conflicts but not the kind of conflicts which have rocked other african countries through the decades. The 2007 postelection violence in kenya, however, was of a different magnitude. Many attacks are based on ethnic affiliation and are used to punish certain groups. Conflict analysis of 2007 postelection violence in kenya.

The root causes of conflicts in the horn of africa. Combining sophisticated theoretical insights and rich empirical details, the authors, collectively, illuminate the forces and factors that generate violent. Misinterpreting ethnic conflicts in africa africa center. While the 20072008 post election violence was neither unique nor new in kenyas political landscape, its magnitude and geographical spread.

In kenya, political partiestend to be associated with particular ethnic groups, while competitive elections have displayed strong ethnic voting patterns lynch, 2011, 2. The 200708 kenyan crisis was a political, economic, and humanitarian crisis that erupted in kenya after former president mwai kibaki was declared the winner of the presidential election held on december 27, 2007. Laissezfaire unwillingness by legal authorities to bring culprits to book. It is a clash of interests between two or more tribes. 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. Accordingly, this paper attempted to identify and critically analyze the due. The countrys struggle for independence was bitter and explosive, then a racial conflict that pitted africans against the colonialists. Map showing the distribution of kenyas main ethnic groups 28.

And the dispute over last months presidential election has aggravated those. Such conflicts have existed all over the world for centuries, but in the last 20 years, after the fall of communism, they are in the focus of public attention due to the war in rwanda, the events in eastern europe, and the. Pdf ethnicity as the root cause of conflict and its effect. 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. The causes of ethnic conflict in multiethnic societies. Although the term war is sometimes used as a synonym for conflict, it is more usual to restrict the meaning of war to violent conflict, involving armed forces. Kenya has been riddled with conflict and violence throughout its brief history as a nation. Evaluating kenyas conflict prevention success challenging the claims of peace international election observers and diplomats celebrated the march 20 general elections. Undercurrents of ethnic conflicts in kenya by john o. Malthus, the eminent economist says that reduced supply of the means of subsistence is the root cause of conflict. Causes of ethnic conflict economic factors have been identified as one of the major causes of conflict in africa.