The Neighbour With The Machete: An explaining view at the violence in Kenya following the General Elections on Dec. 27, 2007 from the perspective of four different theoretical models

Master's Thesis from the year 2008 in the subject Politics - Region: Africa, grade: A, Dalarna University, course: Master Program in European Political Sociology, language: English, abstract: The Thesis has the aim to find out the reasons that stand behind thepost-election violence in Kenya. After incumbent Mwai Kibaki wasdeclared President over his competitor Raila Odinga on December30, 2007, Kenya fell into two month of heavy bloodshed. Thecleavages where along tribal lines but different theories couldexplain the happenings.The four theories chosen are dealing with a SecurityDilemma, Resource Contesting, Corruptive Elites and SymbolicPolicy. It will be shown that dilemma or primordial hatred areexisting and contributing but not actual reasons to the initialviolence. In contrast, the contest over resources and the incitementof politicians and elders are primary factors that led to thethousands of death and hundreds of thousands of displaced people.