Peacebuilding as statebuilding in Kenya : remembering the role of historical injustices

Abstract

When peacebuilding and state building are understood and implemented as post-conflict mechanisms alone, they leave out important elements of socio-historical engineering, and historical breaches of trust which, if acknowledged could enhance national cohesion and peace. The paper focuses on three markers of injustice and inequality in Kenya which have generated grievances: the culture of authoritarianism; land ownership and allocation (grabbing); marginalisation and exclusion along ethnic lines, and of minorities/marginalized communities from participation in national affairs. The frustrations of people found their most devastating outlet in the post-election violence of 2007, which claimed 1,133 lives and displaced over 600,000 others.

Description

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Keywords

KENYA, SOUTH OF SAHARA, ELECTIONS, POLITICAL BEHAVIOUR, LAND GRABBING, EXCLUSION, ETHNICITY, MARGINALIZATION, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, POST-CONFLICT SOCIETIES, OWNERSHIP, PEACEBUILDING, POLITICAL STABILITY

Citation

DOI