Elections and Stability in East Africa: The Kenyan Case

Abstract

Inclusive politics in Africa developed dramatically in the 1990s and 2000s, with the number of African nations conducting democratic elections rising from 7% to 40%. In 2010, 18 African nations were classified as electoral democracies (Freedom house, 2010). In Africa during the last two decades, there has been a tendency toward more responsibility from political leaders, whose domestic credibility is primarily connected to and restricted to elections. However, the 2020 Freedom in the World report recorded the 14th year of worldwide decrease in democratic government and human rights observance, with Africa aiding in the decline. Currently, only seven African nations are rated in the free category (Freedom house, 2020), none of which are in East Africa which is the lowest figure since 1991. The level of public involvement has deteriorated as elections have gotten more common. While elections have increased political involvement in certain African countries, they have also been a major source of upheaval and economic losses. Unrest has progressed beyond intimidation and arrest of dissident leaders to open confrontations between citizens and security personnel. Elections in East Africa are growingly prone to violence, afflicted by intimidation and discrepancies, and appear to aggravate current sociopolitical conflicts without resulting in constructive political reform, enhanced policymaking efficiency, or civic engagement, despite their intensity and revered place in the performance of democracies. Recent elections in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Burundi, South Sudan, and Uganda have recently received harsh criticism. This paper will focus on the elections and stability in East Africa particularly in Kenya. It will examine the main causes of election disputes and instabilities in the area as well as the main drivers behind this poor political norm and the lessons learnt from post-election violence experienced in the country