The General Elections in Kenya, 2007

Mkuki Na Nyota

Description

The 2007 general elections in Kenya led to major unrest. The aim of this book is to examine and analyse the events that set the country on fire for several weeks. The situation has largely stabilised since April 2008, when the articles collected in this book were first individually published. Some political information has been updated post April 2008. The coalition government took shape with Mwai Kibaki remaining President while Raila Odinga became the Prime Minister. The country however remains in suspense, as do the donors who had made it possible for Kenya to restore a semblance of peace. But to what point will they be interested in investing in the country and to protect their place in it? The collection comprises a translation of a special issue of Les Cahiers d'Afrique de l'Est, n?37, the journal of the Institut Fran?ais de Recherche en Afrique (IFRA) and a collection of articles from Politique Africaine, n?109. On site researchers - Bernard Calas, Anne Cussac, Dominique Connan, Musambayi Katumanga, J?r?me Lafargue, and Patrick Mutahi; fieldwork carried out between December 2007 and February 2008 by Florence Brisset-Foucault, Ronan Porhel, Brice Rambaud; and in-depth country knowledge by Claire M?dard and Herv? Maupeu, combined to produce a mass of data within a short time. Whilst the tone of the book is not highly optimistic, the thrust is not intended to dampen the unanimous sense of hope in the country that the political and social situation will once more be more than just tolerable.

Informations

• Publié par: Mkuki na Nyota Publishers
• Date de parution: 15 février 2009
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9789987081035
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

      (IFRA)

he General Elections in Kenya, 2007

Special Issue

Les Caiers d’Afrique de l’Est, n° 38 Nairobi, May – August 2008

Les Caiers d’Afrique de l’Est, n° 38

he General Elections in Kenya, 2007

Contributors

Florence BRISSETFOUCAULT Researcer at Université Paris 1 Pantéon-Sorbonne.

Bernard CALAS IFRA-Nairobi director and Professor of Geograpy.

Dominique CONNAN PD candidate at Université Paris 1, and researc fellow at IFRA-Nairobi.

Anne CUSSAC PD candidate at Université Paris 1, and researc fellow at IFRA-Nairobi.

Jérôme LAFARGUE IFRA-Nairobi deputy director and researcer in Political Science.

Hervé MAUPEU CREPAO director and political science lecturer.

Claire MÉDARD IRD researcer.

Patrick MUTAHI Director of Africa Policy Institute, Nairobi.

Ronan PORHEL PD older in economics and researcer at CREPAO.

Brice RAMBAUD PD older from CEMIC, Université Bordeaux 3.

he General Elections in Kenya, 2007

Edited by Jérôme Lafargue

Mkuki na Nyota Publisers Ltd P. O. Box 4246 Dar es Salaam www.mkukinanyota.com

Les Caiers d’Afrique de l’est, n° 38

© IFRA, 2009

ISBN 978-9987-08-019-9

Les Caiers d’Afrique de l’Est, n° 38, May – August 2008

Directeur de la publication Cief Editor Bernard CALAS

Directeur adjoint Deputy Editor Jérôme LAFARGUE

Rédaction Editorial Judie-Lynn RABAR

Avis

Les Caiers d’Afrique de l’Estle statut de « Travaux et Documents  ont » de l’IFRA. Les textes proposés n’ont pas été soumis à un comité de lecture. L’IFRA n’est pas responsable des prises de position des auteurs. L’objectif des Caiers est de diffuser rapidement informations sur travaux de recerce ou documents, sur lesquels le lecteur exercera son esprit critique.

Notice

Les Caiers d’Afrique de l’Est ave te status of IFRA Working Papers. he articles publised ave not been subject to a peer review process. he opinions expressed witin te articles are solely te responsibility of te autors. he aim ofLes Caiers is to rapidly disseminate information on researc work, on wic te reader may pass is own judgment.

CONTENTS

Introduction............................................................................................... 1 A country in suspense: Political fallouts and popular anxiety Jérôme Lafargue..................................................................................... 3 Kenya in turmoil: Post-election violence and precarious pacification Jérôme LafargueandMusambayi Katumanga........................................ 13

PART I: THE ELECTORAL CAMPAIGN

“Kibaki Tena?” he callenges of a campaign Anne Cussac........................................................................................ 35 Caugt between information and condemnation: he Kenyan media in te electoral campaigns of December 2007 Brice Rambaud.................................................................................... 55 he electoral campaign on television: Communication strategies and models of democracy Florence Brisset-Foucault.................................................................... 105 he polling debate in Kenya’s 2007 elections Patrick Mutai.................................................................................. 145

PART II: VIOLENCE IN THE POST-ELECTION PERIOD

From rigging to violence: Mapping of political regression Bernard Calas.................................................................................... 165 Revisiting post-election violence Hervé Maupeu................................................................................... 187 he economic consequences of te political crisis Ronan Porel..................................................................................... 225 Institutional sortfalls and a political crisis Anne Cussac...................................................................................... 251

he role of religious institutions Hervé Maupeu................................................................................... 279 he uman rigts civil society: Social powerlessness and te quest for political legitimacy Dominique Connan........................................................................... 309 Elected leaders, militias and propets: Violence in Mount Elgon (2006–2008) Claire Médard................................................................................... 339

PART III: FINAL REMARKS

Key issues in disentangling te Kenyan crisis: Evictions, autoctony and land privatization Claire Médard................................................................................... 365 Guidelines for contributors .................................................................... 382

INTRODUCTION

his book is a translation of a special issue of IFRA’s journalLes Caiers d’Afrique de l’Est, n°37, and of a collection of articles from Politique africaine, n°109. hese bot focused on te General Elections in Kenya at te end of 2007. he on-site presence of several researcers (Bernard Calas, Anne Cussac, Dominique Connan, Musambayi Katumanga, Jérôme Lafargue, Patrick Mutai), fieldwork carried out by oters between December 2007 and February 2008 (Florence Brisset- Foucault, Ronan Porel, Brice Rambaud), as well as a good knowledge of te country by researcers on regular visits (Claire Médard, Hervé Maupeu), were all ingredients tat led to te production of undreds of pages witin a limited period. hese articles were actually publised in April 2008. Some political information as not been updated but tis canges noting in terms of te initial aim of taking into account and analyzing te events tat set te country on fire for several weeks.

However, since April 2008, te situation—to all intents and purposes—stabilized. he coalition government took sape, wit Mwai Kibaki remaining President wile Raila Odinga became te Prime Minister as an appeasement Neverteless. Noting as been decided yet—far from it—and no one is fooled by tis ill-matced coupling. he government’s prevarications on sensitive issues (employment, land, internally displaced people, rising prices) and te recently discovered serious corruption incidents do not elp to maintain a climate of confidence. Witin te two main political party formations, tere is great tension and it cannot be said for a fact tat tese structures will prevail to te end of te year. Wereas some ministers engage in fierce battles for powerful positions witin teir party, oters do not esitate to declare temselves as candidates for te next presidential elections. his remains te main callenge—wo will take over te reins from