I Say to You
Ethnic Politics and the Kalenjin in Kenya
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I Say to You
Ethnic Politics and the Kalenjin in Kenya
In 2007 a disputed election in Kenya erupted into a two-month political crisis that led to the deaths of more than a thousand people and the displacement of almost seven hundred thousand. Much of the violence fell along ethnic lines, the principal perpetrators of which were the Kalenjin, who lashed out at other communities in the Rift Valley. What makes this episode remarkable compared to many other instances of ethnic violence is that the Kalenjin community is a recent construct: the group has only existed since the mid-twentieth century. Drawing on rich archival research and vivid oral testimony, I Say to You is a timely analysis of the creation, development, political relevance, and popular appeal of the Kalenjin identity as well as its violent potential.
Uncovering the Kalenjin’s roots, Gabrielle Lynch examines the ways in which ethnic groups are socially constructed and renegotiated over time. She demonstrates how historical narratives of collective achievement, migration, injustice, and persecution constantly evolve. As a consequence, ethnic identities help politicians mobilize support and help ordinary people lay claim to space, power, and wealth. This kind of ethnic politics, Lynch reveals, encourages a sense of ethnic difference and competition, which can spiral into violent confrontation and retribution.
296 pages | 2 maps, 14 tables | 6 x 9 | © 2011
Anthropology: Cultural and Social Anthropology
Political Science: Comparative Politics
Reviews
Table of Contents
List of Tables
Abbreviations, Swahili Terms, and Note on Ethnic Nomenclature
Acknowledgments
Abbreviations, Swahili Terms, and Note on Ethnic Nomenclature
Acknowledgments
Map 1: Kenya: Provinces and Area of Focus
Map 2: Area of Focus: Kalenjin-Dominated Districts
Introduction: The Nature and Political Salience of Ethnic Identity
1. Creating a Community: From Nandi Speakers to Kalenjin
2. Popularizing the Kalenjin: Decolonization and the First Majimbo Debate
3. Moi: The Making of an African “Big Man”
4. Harambee to Nyayo: Control and Patronage in the President’s Backyard
5. Democratization and the “Kalenjin Vote,” 1990–2002
6. Multiparty Politics and the “Ethnic Factor,” 2002–8
Conclusion: Ethnic Politics in Modern Kenya
Appendix: Multiparty Election and Referendum Results in Kalenjin-Dominated Constituencies
Notes
Sources
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