EXAMINATION OF EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS INFLUENCING ELECTORAL VIOLENCE IN KENYA

Abstract

Recent elections in various countries to the count of Afghanistan, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Nigeria, Guatemala and Thailand have been marred by politically motivated violence and grave human rights abuses. Electoral violence is a commonplace in Africa. In the past few years just to mention the most recent cases election malpractices have caused violence in different countries such as Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast, Togo, Gabon and Kenya. Due to recurring election related violence and negative consequences, this study sought to examine internal and external factors influencing election violence specifically in Kenya. Majorly the study aims to: examine the internal factors leading to election violence in Kenya other than the malpractices that are experienced during the voting process and the announcement period too; investigate the external factors leading to election violence in Kenya and to make necessary recommendations on how to conduct credible and peaceful elections while mitigating any chances for violence. This study is based on the Greed - Grievance Theory. The proponents of greed grievance theories are Paul Collier and AnkeHoeffler. Collier and Hoeffler advance that these wars begin due to greedy attitude of individuals or a group towards an insurgency against the authority. The research is based on a qualitative approach, based predominantly on literature review using secondary and primary sources. Secondary information was attained from books, journals and theses. Literature on external and internal factors leading to election violence was scrutinized so as attain an actual framework of analysis. Primary data comprised of reports from government institutions and nongovernmental actors, including the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), district peace committees (DPCs), and local organizations among others. The gathered data was analyzed using content analysis. The researcher found that negative ethnicity, economic inequalities, and institutional weaknesses, conflict memories and Marginalization play a major role in causing election violence. Party leaders and political elite have also been known to widen the gap between various ethnic groups and filling the gap with hatred with the famous phrase 'Us versus them' hence using it to incite one ethnic group agonist the other. The findings show the efforts to drag down the growing violence after every election is working but at a very minimal rate.