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Ethnicity and Politics in Kenya’s Turbulent Path to Democracy and Development

Author

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  • Michael Otieno KISAKA

    (Hacettepe University, Faculty of Letters, Department of Sociology, Ankara, Turkey)

  • Israel Nyaburi NYADERA

    (Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Faculty of Political Sciences, Department of Political Science and History, Ankara, Turkey)

Abstract

This article examines the manifestation of ethnicity in Kenyan politics and its impact on Kenya’s democratic path and development. It questions the salience of ethnicity in politics and traces the origin of ethnic consciousness to the colonial era. Efforts by the successive regimes to advance a national identity have proved futile as all of them have worked to calcify it through its exploitation and politicization. We utilize an intersection of theoretical approaches to zoom in on the overwhelming nature of ethnicity in politics. The crux of our argument is that ethnicity has, over time, been used for by the self-aggrandizing political elite for self-serving interests and it is our opinion that the historic handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and the former Prime Minister Raila Odinga provided another unique opportunity for de-ethicising Kenya’s politics and for strengthening the existing institution.Keywords: Çalışma hayatı, Çobanlık mesleği, Çoban çalışma hayatı, Atyolu, Şenkaya

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Otieno KISAKA & Israel Nyaburi NYADERA, 2019. "Ethnicity and Politics in Kenya’s Turbulent Path to Democracy and Development," Journal of Social Policy Conferences, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 0(76), pages 159-180, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:ist:iujspc:v:0:y:2019:i:76:p:159-180
    DOI: 10.26650/jspc.2019.76.0002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dercon, Stefan & Gutiérrez-Romero, Roxana, 2012. "Triggers and Characteristics of the 2007 Kenyan Electoral Violence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 731-744.
    2. Elischer, Sebastian, 2008. "Ethnic Coalitions of Convenience and Commitment: Political Parties and Party Systems in Kenya," GIGA Working Papers 68, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.
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    Cited by:

    1. Omondi Denin Ominah, 2023. "The Mirage of Issue-Based Politics in Africa. A Case Study of Kenya’s Presidential Election Campaigns from 2013-2022," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(10), pages 2444-2463, October.

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