Ethnicity and Kenya's Transition to Democracy, 1990 to 2007
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ETHNICITY AND KENYA’S TRANSITION TO DEMOCRACY, 1990 TO 2007 BY IMBENZI ALEXANDER MUTESHI (BA HONS UON) C50/P/8718/2005 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR AWARD OF A DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN t POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION OF UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI 28™ OCTOBER, 2010 °f NAIROBI Library DECLARATION I declare that this is my original work, and has not been submitted to any other University for the purpose of examination. SIGNED: DATE: ALEXANDER I MUTESHI This thesis has been submijte^ with our approval as the student’s supervisor. 1 Supervisor: 9^1 lolio Date 2 Supervisor: Date l d e d ic a t io n To my dear wife Violet Mavyalla Muteshi. *y ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my wife Violet Mavyalla Muteshi and children Fred Lugano Muteshi, Tom Amogolla Muteshi and Elsie Andega Muteshi, for their unwavering support and love while undertaking the studies. 1 would also like to thank my supervisors in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration; Dr. Phillip Nying’uro and Mr. Fred Jonyo for their advice, guidance and direction, which was instrumental in the success of this study. I also thank my classmates at the University of Nairobi for their encouragement and company. Finally, I wish to appreciate the efforts of my friend Leonard, for taking his time reading through and editing the whole script, as well as Lillian, Joyce and Nancy for the typing work in the course of this study. 111 ABSTRACT This study examines the influence of ethnicity in the democratic transition in Kenya between 1990 - 2007. The study specifically responds to two core tasks using the Relative Group Worth Approach. Firstly, it examines and attempts an explanation on the centrality of ethnic instrumentalization and mobilization in Kenya. Secondly, it analyses the impact of ethic instrumentalization and mobilization on the democratic process in Kenya. i The study argues that the sluggish pace gf Kenya’s transition to democracy is a function t of instrumentalization of ethnicity by political entrepreneurs to the extent that they derive values by polarizing identities. The study recommends that the requisite institutional framework needs to be put in place to mediate on the negative impact of ethnicity. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration................................................................................................................................. i Dedication.................................................................................................................................. ii Acknowledgement..................................................................................................................... iii Abstract..................................................................................................................................... iv Table of Contents......................................................................................................................v List of graphs and tables............................................................................................................vii Acronyms.................................................................................................................................. viii CHAPTER ONE......................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................... 1 1.0 Background Information.................................................................................................1 1.1 Problem Statement..........................................................................................................2 1.2 Objective of the Study....................................................................................................3 1.3 Literature Review...........................................................................................................4 1.4 Justification and Significance of the Study................................................................... 10 1.5 Theoretical Framework.................................................................................................11 1.6 Methodology................................................................................................................. 17 1.7 Research Scope and Limitations..................................................................................20 1.8 Definition of Concepts..................................................................................................20 1.9 Chapter Outline.................................................................... 22 CHAPTER TWO ....................................... 24 ROOTS OF ETHNIC INSTRUMENTALIZATLON...................................................... 24 2.0 Introduction...................................................................................................................24 2.1 Instrumentalizing Ethnicity in Kenya:A critical revisit.............................................. 24 2.2 The Role of Colonialism in the Construction of Ethnicity.........................................28 2.3 Genesis and Growth of Ethnicity in Kenya.................................................................32 2.4 Ethnic Groups in Kenya................................................................................................32 CHAPTER THREE..................................................................................................................42 CONTEXTUALIZING THE INSTRUMENTALIZATION OF ETHNICITY IN KENYAN POLITICS 1990-2007.....................................................................................42 3.0 Introduction...... ............................................................................................................ 42 3.1 Appointments and Ethnic Consciousness....................................................................43 3.2 Multipartism and the rise of ethnic nationalism......................................................... 48 3.3 Aggregation on the Economic Front............................................................................50 3.4 The Sharpening of Ethnic Identities* by the Political Leadership..............................52 3.5 Factors breeding and cultivating ethnicity...................................................................54 3.6 Enduring Dual Citizenship in Multiethnic Societies.................................................. 55 3.7 Level of Ethnic Consciousness.................................................................................... 56 CHAPTER FOUR.....................................................................................................................58 THE IMPACT OF ETHNICITY IN THE INSTRUMENTALIZATION AND MOBILIZATION OF POLITICS IN KENYA.................................................................58 4.0 Introduction................................................................................................................... 58 4.1 The Struggle for Constitutional Reform......................................................................59 4.2 Eruption of Ethnic Clashes.......................................................................................... 64 v 4.3 Ethnicisation of Political Parties and Voting Trends.................................................. 71 4.4 Emergence and Ethnicisation of Parties......................................................................75 4.5 Ethnic Manifestations in the Run-up to 2007 General Elections.................................82 4.6 The Traitor Factor.........................................................................................................89 4.7 Ethnicity and the Political Process...............................................................................94 4.8 Ethnicity and Access to Leadership Positions.............................................................98 4.9 The Trouble with Ethnicity.........................................................................................100 CHAPTER FIV E ....................................................................................................................102 RECAPITULATION-CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......................102 5.0 Recapitulation and Conclusion.................................................................................. 102 5.1 RECOMMENDATIONS............................................................................................109 APPENDIX 1........................................................................................................................... 127 KENYAN GENERAL ELECTION, 2002...........................................................................127 Presidential election.........................................................................................................127 Provincial results............................................................................................................... 128 APPENDIX 2 .............................................. 129 KENYAN GENERAL ELECTION, 1997...........................................................................129 RESULTS........................................................................................................................ 129 Provincial Results............................................................................................................