Media, Ethnicity, and Electoral Conflicts in Kenya critically examines the interplay between the media, ethnicity, and electoral conflicts in Kenya. Jacinta Mwende Maweu analyzes the place of ethnicity in Kenyan politics and the key drivers of electoral conflicts, as well as how ethnicity influences media framing of these conflicts in the Kenyan context. Maweu argues that, although there are many factors that can affect an electoral process and result in conflict and violence, the role that the mainstream media and new media play is central. As Maweu illustrates through various arguments, politicians in Kenya and other deeply divided societies in Africa have continued to use mainstream and digital media to weaponize ethnicity as they invoke issues of belonging, inclusion, and exclusion. By examining the role of both traditional and digital media in electoral conflicts, Media, Ethnicity, and Electoral Conflicts in Kenya makes a significant contribution to the ongoing academic debate on the role of media in elections and electoral conflicts in Kenya and Africa.

Seminar paper from the year 2016 in the subject Communications - Media and Politics, Politic Communications, grade: A, University of Nairobi (Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies), course: MA International Conflict Management, language: English, abstract: The rising Ethnic politics in Kenya have been in the rise are instigated by politicians as was the case in the PEV 2008. These conflicts tend to transcend the state borders to regional and international levels thus the involvement in resolution by the external bodies like the UN, AU, EAC, IGAD among others. These negotiations and mediations may seek to understand the underlying issues, dynamics and effects experienced in the conflicts. This essay will thus seek to address the social, economic, political, religion and security as mobilizing factors of ethno politics, the consequences, and challenges of the 2008/9 post- election violence and how to transform ethnic conflicts in Kenya. The problems resulting from the 2008/9 PEV are highlighted as well as proposals with regard to institutional, legislative, social policies and reforms to better handle the necessary transformation. The theory of ethnicity is based on primordial and instrumentalist approaches. Kenya witnessed ethnicity and political conflicts in 1992, 1997/8, 2007/8, all of which came after the coming of multi-party politics, which exacerbated ethnic competition for power and resources. Domestic conflicts are believed to ‘‘involve deep issues of ethnic and cultural identity, of recognition, and of participation that are usually denied to ethnic minorities, in addition to other values that are not negotiable.’’ Compromise is more difficult under these conditions because groups often cannot find common ground. Kenyan politics is strongly divided along ethnic lines. Parties are found to draw their support from distinct and separated ethnic groups. President Kibaki’s Party of National Unity (PNU) was mainly supported by the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru ethnic group. The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), which combined several opposition groups headed by Raila Odinga, was supported by Luo, Luhya and Kalenjin ethnic group. As a consequence, more Kenyans value ethnicity above political ideology and policy. The perception that the party offers the best hope for a person within the ‘ascribed’ tribe to assume power and consequently share state resources with tribal members. The result of this view has historically been tribalism or prejudice across tribes, and favoritism within the tribe. An analysis of the 2007 general election in Kenya describes the voting pattern as a mere ‘ethnic census’

"Anika Becher compares ethnic and electoral violence in Kenya and Malawi from 1991 to 2011. She studies how political and economic factors influence the risk of violence, also at subnational level. Her study is based on a new data set."--Page 4 of cover.

This book discusses Kenya’s transition from authoritarianism to more democratic forms of politics and its impact on Kenya’s multi-ethnic society. The author examines two significant questions: Why and how is ethnicity salient in Kenya’s transition from one-party rule to multiparty politics? What is the relationship between ethnic conflict and political liberalization? The project explains the perennial issues of political disorganization through state violence and ethnicization of politics, and considers the significance of the concept of justice in Kenya.

This book looks at how digital technologies are revolutionizing electoral campaigns and democratization struggles in Africa. Digital technologies are giving voice and civic agency to a cross section of African voters, providing important spaces for political engagement and debate. Drawing on cases from Kenya, Uganda, Mozambique, Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe amongst others, this book traces the shifts and tensions in this changing electoral communications landscape. In doing so, the book explores themes such as hate speech and disinformation, decolonisation, surveillance, internet shutdowns, influencers, bots, algorithms, and election observation, and looks beyond Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and YouTube to the increasingly important role of visual platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. Particularly highlighting the contribution of African scholars, this book is an important guide for researchers across the fields of African politics, media studies, and electoral studies, as well as to professionals and policymakers in political communication.

Offers an insightful yet readable study of the paths - and challenges - to social cohesion in Africa, by experienced historians, economists and political scientists.

An analysis of land and natural resource conflict as a source of political violence, focusing on election violence in Kenya.