Causes of electoral violence in africa written by ngah gabriel sous dir. The impact of the 20072008 post election violence on. Post election political violence 2 joint mission to kenya to carry out research into the roots and repercussions of the violence. Executive summary background kenyas presidential elections of december 2007 and the violence that followed the election results left untold misery on thousands of kenyans and millions more in the region. The impact of the 20072008 post election violence on women. The recent 2016 post election crisis in gabon12 that left scores dead seems to shows that electoral violence is an intractable phenomenon on the continent. One way of understanding postelection violence and the possible mediarelated imperatives is to look at the variety of contexts in which it can occur. Opinion polls published prior to the election showed raila odinga with a narrow lead. The post election violence in kenya had very many effects to the people of the country. Violence erupts following the election results in kenya view photos kenyas election commission announced on aug. On december 27, 2007, kenya held its general elections the fourth since the return. Aug 11, 2009 nature of the violence the majority of kenya s post election violence took place in january and february, 2008. International center institutional reform in the new constitution of kenya for transitional justice acronyms cipev commission of inquiry into postelection violence kndr kenya national dialogue and reconciliation ldp liberal democratic party nak national alliance party of kenya narc national rainbow coalition. Kenya article 19 defending freedom of expression and.
First is the perception of historic marginalization by certain ethnic groups as a consequence of. Elections and violent conflict in kenya the web site cannot be found. Preventing postelection violence based on the kenyan. By midjanuary, six hundred kenyans lay dead in an unprecedented orgy of post election violence. Methodology focus of the study was restricted on the role played by women in conflict management following the 20072008 post election violence. K ga key ga in s a gender audit of kenyas 20 election. Kenya since 20072008 postelection violence daily nation.
More than 250,000 people were internally displaced, made refugees in their own country. Kenya, one of africas most vibrant democracies, has a history of electionrelated violence. This research seeks to examine the causes and effects of post election violence on agricultural production in kesses division, uasin gishu county. The 20072008 postelection violence exacerbated the dire situation of ovc in kenya. In some ways the postelection violence resembled the ethnic clashes of the 1990s and was but an episode in a trend of institutionalization of violence in kenya over the years. The turgens and turkana, pastoral groups, continue to fight the kikuyu, a farming group, in the laikipia district. View map of the postelection violence hotspots in kenya. The fighting resulted in 1,3 casualties, at least 350,000 internally displaced persons idps, approximately 2,000 refugees, significant, but unknown, numbers of sexual violence victims, and the destruction of 117,216 private properties and 491 governmentowned properties including. The central isiolo region, a pastoralist dryland has been a hotspot of violence in recent years sharamo, 2014, p. It affected all but 2 provinces and was felt in both urban and rural parts of the country. Elections and violent conflict in kenya united states institute of. This report aims to complement existing postelection. Postelection violence continues in kenya, as opposition leader returns politicallyfueled violence has broken out in kenya again. Nov 18, 2017 post election violence continues in kenya, as opposition leader returns politicallyfueled violence has broken out in kenya again.
Best practices for the prevention of electoral violence reliefweb. Kenya has been riddled with conflict and violence throughout its brief history as a nation. Mercy was raped again in august 2017 in the postelection violence that followed the election on. To observe the 2007 election processes in kenya iri deployed 32 election observers to 33 constituencies across the countrys eight provinces, where they monitored electoral processes at more than 100 polling stations. The kenyan commission of inquiry into postelection violence. The turnout for the election between incumbent president mwai kibaki of the pnu, odm leader raila odinga and odmkenyas kalonzo musyoka was the highest on record, with approximately 70% voter participation. The joint mission, which visited kenya between 29 march and 9 april 1998, had four main objectives. Impunity for election related sexual violence in kenya during the 2007 2008 post election. Some of the ovc lost both parents during the violence. Kenya 2017 general and presidential elections 7 aftermath taken as a whole, the 2017 electoral process damaged kenya s key democratic institutions and its social cohesion, leaving the country deeply divided after an annulled presidential election, followed by a rerun election marred by violence and an opposition boycott. Aug 06, 2009 view map of the post election violence hotspots in kenya. The head of the african union was traveling to kenya for crisis talks to end an explosion of postelection violence that has killed more than 275 people, including dozens burned alive as they.
The 2008 postelection violence played out largely on ethnic lines, and ethnicity continues to play an inordinate role in kenyan political life. The head of the african union was traveling to kenya for crisis talks to end an explosion of post election violence that has killed more than 275 people, including dozens burned alive as they. Yet, the most recent postelection violence, because of its relationship to the contested election results and. Roberts september, 2009 abstract kenya has been riddled with conflict and violence throughout its brief history as a nation.
Nature of the violence the majority of kenya s post election violence took place in january and february, 2008. In october 2008, the commission of inquiry into postelection violence cipev concluded. United nations childrens fund unicef estimated the number of children displaced by the 20072008 postelection violence pev in kenya at 100,000 and those orphaned at 300,000 high. Commission of inquiry into the post election violence. On january 25, 2008, during the explosion of postelection violence in kenya, four men beat and brutally gangraped apiyo p. Following the announcement of presidential election results on december 30, 2007, kenya ex perienced the worst electoral violence since the inception of multiparty politics in 1992, leaving more than 1,100 people dead, 650,000 displaced, and the country deeply divided. Kenyas recent political history and its recurrent electoral. Report of the commission of inquiry into the postelection violence.
Jan 02, 2008 kenya s leaders came under increasing pressure from the international community on wednesday to end post election violence that has resulted in the deaths of at least 250 people, including dozens. Susan stigant is a senior program officer in usips center for governance, law, and society. Soon afterwards, opposition politicians claimed that the election was rigged and foreign observers noted serious irregularities european union election observation mission, 2008. Government of kenya economic survey 2007 tourism tourism received 1. Postcolonial officials lavished themselves with political and economic favours in a pattern that has extended into the postpostcolonial era moi who was a member of kadu and later kanu, kibaki who was technocrat in kanu from 1963, michuki the internal security minister, njenga karume, the defence minister among others. Sociopedagogical challenges facing orphaned and vulnerable. As violence ebbs, unicef joins other agencies in providing aid for up to 100,000 people in kenya. Post election violence mainly involved the kikuyus, luos and kalenjins.
This report summarizes the preelection, election day and postelection. About the authors the lead author, claire elder, worked as a consultant with international crisis groups horn of africa project in nairobi, kenya, where she monitored and researched the 20 kenyan general elections. The following are some of the outcomes that came from the elctions. Postelection violence mainly involved the kikuyus, luos and kalenjins. Postelection violence in kenya and its aftermath center. Kenya since 20072008 postelection violence sunday august 6 2017 elizabeth wangui wails after a church in the background was burnt in kiambaa, eldoret during the 20072008 postelection violence. Postelection political violence 2 joint mission to kenya to carry out research into the roots and repercussions of the violence.
The international media looks at this crisis through the lenses of ethnic cleansing and a fight for tribal supremacy between the luo and the kikuyu. Justice for postelection violence in kenya an obituary posted on april 8, 2016 by mark kersten champions of international accountability join with the survivors of human rights violations in kenya to announce the premature death of justice for crimes perpetrated in the aftermath of. As a woman who was raped during kenyas 2008 postelection violence explained. Ethnicbased violence has a long history in the country, fueled by grievances over land, privilege, and inequality.
Kenya is made up of over 40 ethnic groups and in 2008 these groups were part of a higher level of violence in part due to the postelection crisis. Mercy was raped again in august 2017 in the post election violence that followed the election on. Methodology focus of the study was restricted on the role played by women in conflict management following the 20072008 postelection violence. Kenya death toll rises in postelection violence financial. Causes and effects of postelection violence on agricultural. Postelection violence where there is persistent and sustained sense of. From december 2007 to february 2008, kenya experienced ethnic violence triggered by a disputed presidential election held on 27 december 2007. The 2007 postelection violence in kenya, however, was of a different magnitude. Pdf on jan 1, 2010, patrick mutua kioko and others published a study on the post election violence. Protests were called and became increasingly violent after the release of election results on 30 december. The violence in rift valley province in kenya is an important example of an. Aug 06, 2017 kenya since 20072008 postelection violence sunday august 6 2017 elizabeth wangui wails after a church in the background was burnt in kiambaa, eldoret during the 20072008 postelection violence. Kenya institutional reform in the new constitution of kenya. In kenya, presidential elections are always periods of conflict when ethnic.
Several people were killed in clashes between demonstrators and. Nature of the violence the majority of kenyas postelection violence took place in january and february, 2008. This was attributed mostly to the negative publicity from postelection violence decline in growth. Postelection violence continues in kenya, as opposition. The commission of inquiry on postelection violence 2009 that investigated kenyas 200708 postelection violence attributed the countrys history of electoral violence to a combination of longstanding conflict drivers.
Background on the postelection crisis in kenya center. Deaths many innocent kenyans lost alot of lives as they were attacked and killed by peopple from other communities that beli. The consequences of postelection violence on antiretroviral. Outcomes of the post election violence in kenya zakenya. Conflict analysis of 2007 postelection violence in kenya. National guidelines on management of sexual violence in kenya. Antiretroviral therapy art depends on continuous access to medications which may have been interrupted due to pev.
By midjanuary, six hundred kenyans lay dead in an unprecedented orgy of postelection violence. The post election violence experienced in 2008 following the disputed 2007 presidential elections, that saw a wave of sexual abuse targeted at women and girls, was perhaps the clearest manifestation of the gravity of sexual violence in kenya. Over individuals were killed and 600,000 were displaced during post election violence pev in kenya in 2008. Evidence rom liberia and kenya summary a growing number of peacebuilding and conflict prevention strategies are being used to mitigate the risk of election violence. Mr odinga believes he was robbed of victory in both the 2007 and 20 elections through manipulation.
Kenya held its fourth multiparty election on 27 december 2007. A gender audit of kenya s 20 election process viii minimum is observed and women make up exactly one third of such bodies not a woman more or less. In some ways the post election violence resembled the ethnic clashes of the 1990s and was but an episode in a trend of institutionalization of violence in kenya over the years. However, on 30 december 2007, kenyas electoral commission chairman samuel kivuitu declared. This was attributed mostly to the negative publicity from post election violence decline in growth. Pdf postelection crisis in kenya and internally displaced. In this paper, i perform an analysis of the conflict to examine why widespread violence erupted in the wake of kibakis presidential reelection. Youth programs, election observation, police training, and civic education are just some of the approaches. Aug, 2017 kenya, one of africas most vibrant democracies, has a history of election related violence. Violence continued in kenya, in the wake of disputed presidential elections, as rival supporters fought running battles and a mob torched a church sheltering hundreds of people fleeing post. A country with over 70 distinct ethnic groups the five largest being kikuyu 20%, luhya 14%, luo %, kalenjin 11% and kamba 11% kenyas elections since gaining independence in 1963. Aug 12, 2017 violence erupts following the election results in kenya view photos kenya s election commission announced on aug.
Fatuma, 22, reports from kenyas postelection conflict with audio. Unicef kenya brings childrens issues to election campaign platform with audio. The 20072008 postelection violence was also more widespread than in the past. Aeneas chuma reporting period 1 january 31 december 2008 i. The kenya national commission on human rights knchr is kenyas national human rights institution with statutory mandates to protect and promote the human rights of all individuals living in kenya. Although exacerbated by political feuds, the violence had its roots in ethnic rivalries and struggle for ancestral lands. Preventing postelection violence based on the kenyan experience. Elections in kenya have habitually been marked by violence since the restoration of the multiparty system in 1991. One way of understanding post election violence and the possible mediarelated imperatives is to look at the variety of contexts in which it can occur. The aftermath of recent kenyan elections has been marred by violence and an apparent crisis in democratic governance, with the negotiated settlement resulting from the 2007 election bringing into sharp focus longstanding problems of state and. Common themes also emerge, and comparisons can help answer broader questions about electoral. Oct 16, 2008 the 20072008 post election violence was also more widespread than in the past.
Violence subsides but families remain displaced in post. The 2008 post election violence played out largely on ethnic lines, and ethnicity continues to play an inordinate role in kenyan political life. Country kenya humanitarian resident coordinator mr. Nairobi, kenya, where she monitored and researched the. Media, elections and political violence in eastern africa. Causes of electoral violence in africa written by ngah. Impunity for electionrelated sexual violence in kenya during the 2007 2008 postelection.
Trial chamber ii granted the prosecutions request and an investigation was initiated thereafter. Kenya is made up of over 40 ethnic groups and in 2008 these groups were part of a higher level of violence in part due to the post election crisis. Background on the postelection crisis in kenya center for. Apr 08, 2016 justice for postelection violence in kenya an obituary posted on april 8, 2016 by mark kersten champions of international accountability join with the survivors of human rights violations in kenya to announce the premature death of justice for crimes perpetrated in the aftermath of the 2007 elections. First is the perception of historic marginalization by certain ethnic groups as a.
This study identifies drivers of electoral conflict and proposes policy responses for three diverse case studiessomaliland, cote divoire and kenya which face some risk of future electoral violence. Justice for postelection violence in kenya an obituary. Post election violence where there is persistent and sustained sense of election fraud. International center institutional reform in the new constitution of kenya for transitional justice acronyms cipev commission of inquiry into post election violence kndr kenya national dialogue and reconciliation ldp liberal democratic party nak national alliance party of kenya narc national rainbow coalition. Trade the dynamics and anticipated impact of ke references. Kenyas leaders came under increasing pressure from the international community on wednesday to end postelection violence that has resulted in. The commission of inquiry on post election violence 2009 that investigated kenya s 200708 post election violence attributed the countrys history of electoral violence to a combination of longstanding conflict drivers. The fighting resulted in 1,3 casualties, at least 350,000 internally displaced persons idps, approximately 2,000 refugees, significant, but unknown, numbers of sexual violence victims, and the destruction of 117,216 private properties and 491 governmentowned. The kenyan commission of inquiry into postelection violence background the commission of inquiry into postelection violence cipev was the outcome of the kenya national dialogue and reconciliation accord of february 28, 2008, negotiated by kofi annan and the panel of eminent african personalities, and its sister agreement of.