Enterprenuers' of Post Election Violence: A case study of Kibera

Abstract

The recent post-election violence in Kenya IS most commonly framed as politically instigated interethnic violence. This study provides an alternative interpretation by addressing concept of conflict entrepreneurship in Kibera slum of Nairobi. The analysis goes beyond elite-based examinations . of political violence and institutional failure. The local socio-economic factors played a key role and lent the conflict its own dynamics. While the perpetrators assumed the roles of conflict entrepreneurs, the pattern of administering their enterprises manifested in nature of predatory and extortionist literally developing into criminal gangs mobilized and engaged at a fee. The trend of election violence and nature of administering the violence indicates that historical injustices and structural dysfunction provides opportunity for emergence of conflict entrepreneurs' and perfection of culture of impunity.

The study adopted structural violence theoretical framework indicating that the conflict in question is embedded in the structures of electoral system. It used research design that entailed both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection from both primary and secondary sources. The conflict presents an attempt on the part of Kibera youth to overcome, protest, or navigate multi-level insecurity and persisting social injustices through violence. Findings indicate 'hustling' youth livelihood strategies, motivated by poverty levels to exercise high level creativity in order to survive the hardship thus become entrepreneurs.