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. This was widely confirmed by international observers, as being. One of the leading causes of conflict in kenya is when individuals clash over limited resources such as land and water. As far back as 1969, civil society, led by faithbased entities, headed calls for the government to address issues of peaceful coexistence among communities. Most countries in subsaharan africa are home to diverse ethnic groups living together within borders that were arbitrarily drawn during the colonial period. 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.
Conflict analysis of 2007 postelection violence in kenya. This could be brought about by the fundamental differences in the cultures of those different ethnic groupings. The history of ethnic conflicts in kenya is long traced from the colonial era. This was after tom mboya, one of kenya s vibrant intellectual and political icons, was murdered in moi avenue nairobi. We find that the sampled households are worried about future land conflicts on 9.
Pdf this article argues that ethnic conflicts in africa often have. The armed ethnic conflicts in kenya are further exacerbated by. Numerous theories and much research attempts to explain the causes of ethnic conflict. It could be argued that the state of peace in kenya is complex. Mar 02, 2015 the horn of africa hoa has been mentioned as one of the most disputed regions of the globe. Ethnic conflict is an armed warfare between ethnic groups. The transitional authorities and their international partners must address crucial issues by implementing a comprehensive disarmament. Pdf ethnicity as the root cause of conflict and its. 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. 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 horn of africa hoa has been mentioned as one of the most disputed regions of the globe. Pdf structural causes of ethnic conflict researchgate. The study in this paper is about the scholarly view on concepts which are consistent with the study topic.
And the dispute over last months presidential election has aggravated those. Ethnic politics in kenya violence in twentieth century. 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. The causes of these various conflicts are related to kenyas deep and. In developing country incidence were low and in the developing sever. Kenya is a patriarchal society and has high levels of. The causes of ethnic conflicts byu scholarsarchive. 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. While the 20072008 post election violence was neither unique nor new in kenyas political landscape, its magnitude and geographical spread. The countrys struggle for independence was bitter and explosive, then a. Nicholas sambanis, preventing violent civil conflict.
Evaluating kenyas conflict prevention success challenging the claims of peace international election observers and diplomats celebrated the march 20 general elections. Download limit exceeded you have exceeded your daily download allowance. The following article will examine how tribalism in kenya started, its causes, effects and suggested solutions to end this terrible disease. Various peripheral and internal actors have played different roles during the various stages of the conflict.
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. The impact of ethnic conflict on economic development. Ethnic and political conflicts since independence in 1963, kenya has been known to be a relatively peaceful country. Therefore, identifying the root causes of the ethnics or pastoralists cross border conflict is of paramount important. This was after tom mboya, one of kenyas vibrant intellectual and political icons, was murdered in moi avenue nairobi. Murithi mutiga is senior kenya analyst for the international crisis group, a conflictprevention organisation fri 4 aug 2017 09. 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. 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. Combining sophisticated theoretical insights and rich empirical details, the authors, collectively, illuminate the forces and factors that generate violent. The 2007 postelection violence in kenya, however, was of a different magnitude. To focus on own parcels, we exclude 381 parcels that were rented in for rent payments. Indeed, if they did not, nearly every village and province in africa would be a cauldron of 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.
Walter oyugi, politicized ethnic conflict in kenya. It is up to the people and the leaders to make sure that it doesnt happen. In central african republic, the conflict between armed groups is now compounded by a conflict between armed communities. Misinterpreting ethnic conflicts in africa africa center. With regard to conflict, the aprm has stated as one of its objectives the prevention and reduction of inter and intrastate conflict. Developing country management ethnic conflict by participation and justice policy that the equality is the best way for resolve this problem. Theorists believe that competition for scarce resources is a common factor in almost all ethnic conflicts in africa. One of the long term causes of the clashes in kenya is attributed to the. The countrys struggle for independence was bitter and explosive, then a racial conflict that pitted africans against the colonialists. Since the period of decolonization, many of these places have been the scenes of significant. 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. 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. Evaluating kenyas conflict prevention success challenging the claims of peace international election observers and diplomats celebrated the march 20 general elections as peaceful.
The causes of ethnic conflict in multiethnic societies. According to him, conflict is caused by the increase of population in geometrical progression and the food supply in arithmetical progression. We still include, however, parcels that were borrowed from relatives or others for free. Finally, in section vi, i reassess the conflict in kenya by incorporating kenyas. Ethnic politics in kenya violence in twentieth century africa. The month of ethnic bloodletting in kenya has historic roots. Causes of the 2007 postelection violence in kenya and its intensity. Undercurrents of ethnic conflicts in kenya by john o. 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. Public perceptions on government agencies effectiveness in addressing conflict in isiolo30. Mau mau armed resistance movement established by african communities mostly from the central kenya region whose task was to fight for kenyas independence. I conclude that ethnicity is only a superficial cause of the violence in kenya, and that.
One of the long term causes of the clashes in kenya is attributed to the colonial legacy. Grievances over land and privilege date back decades. The roadmap to end the crisis including elections late 2015 presents only a shortterm answer and risks exacerbating existing tensions. In this paper, i perform an analysis of the conflict to examine why widespread violence erupted in the wake of kibakis presidential reelection. The scope and limits of government action, 2002, background paper for the world development report 2003. This article argues that ethnic conflicts in africa often have structural sources. Ethnic and political conflicts in kenya intercontinental. Ethnic conflicts in kenya occur frequently, although most are minor skirmishes. 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.
The root causes of the conflict in somalia history essay. 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. This article is aimed to identify the roots cause of the cross border conflict in gambella regional, the case of jikanynuer and lounuer communities. The root causes of conflicts in the horn of africa science. The root causes of conflicts in the horn of africa. 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.
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. Supporters of kibakis opponent, raila odinga of the orange democratic movement, alleged electoral manipulation. Accordingly, this paper attempted to identify and critically analyze the due. Pdf ethnicity as the root cause of conflict and its effect. In kenya, political partiestend to be associated with particular ethnic groups, while competitive elections have displayed strong ethnic voting patterns lynch, 2011, 2. Dynamic development in a sustainable world washington, dc. Women have been active in both promoting conflict and peacebuilding in pastoralist communities. A historical overview of armed ethnic conflict in kenya kenya has emerged as a nation characterized by armed conflict in many of its provinces. Causes of ethnic conflict economic factors have been identified as one of the major causes of conflict in africa. 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 impact of past and potential ethnic conflicts on citeseerx.
Malthus, the eminent economist says that reduced supply of the means of subsistence is the root cause of conflict. The roots cause of cross border conflict in gambella. 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. Laissezfaire unwillingness by legal authorities to bring culprits to book. Aug 04, 2017 murithi mutiga is senior kenya analyst for the international crisis group, a conflictprevention organisation fri 4 aug 2017 09. And the dispute over last months presidential election has. But incidence of ethnic violence was different in varying country.
Importantly, ethnic conflict has gained much attention since the end of the cold war. They arise from anomalous economic, political and social structures prevalent in many african societies. Many attacks are based on ethnic affiliation and are used to punish certain groups. Africa, most ethnic groups in africa coexist peacefully with high degrees of mixing through interethnic marriage, economic partnerships, and shared values. Map showing the distribution of kenyas main ethnic groups 28.
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