The Concept of Power‐Sharing in the Emergence of Coalition Governments in Africa: A Critical Analysis of the Kenya Case

Oburu, Joseph Thomas Mboya (2010) The Concept of Power‐Sharing in the Emergence of Coalition Governments in Africa: A Critical Analysis of the Kenya Case. Masters thesis, Arrupe College.

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Abstract

Elections in Africa have become a make or break exercise for states. Africa continues to witness intense power struggles resulting from ethnicity or pure greed. Elections are used as a platform for parties that have been excluded from political participation and decision-making, to seek victory while the incumbents on the other hand, will do anything at their disposal to stay in power. This leads to hotly contested elections that are often marred with electoral violence and rigging. In extreme cases incumbents change constitutions to give themselves a life-term, whereas some resort to dictatorship or military rule. This dissertation will demonstrate that the quest for power and ethnicity are the major cause of conflicts in Africa. My thesis is that unless there is genuine political and economic power-sharing through a formidable and inclusive process of constitutionalism, and participation by citizens, then the power struggles and violence will continue to plague the African continent. I argue that power-sharing must ensure equal distribution of resources, separation and devolution of powers, proportional representation, adequate checks and balances on the executive and a fundamental change in the ideologies of citizens. The dissertation examines how power-sharing was used to resolve a political deadlock in Kenya after the hotly contested 2007 elections through the formation of a coalition government. Coalition building, which has been used by other African states such as Zimbabwe to resolve their elections disputes, seems attractive to many African Incumbents who see this as a way to hang onto power by rigging elections and settling for power sharing, yet it remains a dangerous trend that offers only short term solutions for peace. I propose power-sharing through consociational democracy and argue for the formation of federal nation-states through regional integration.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > B Philosophy (General) J Political Science > J General legislative and executive papers
Divisions:	Africana
Depositing User:	Unnamed user with email ict.admin@jhia.ac.ke
Date Deposited:	19 Jun 2020 09:33
Last Modified:	19 Jun 2020 09:33
URI:	http://thesisbank.jhia.ac.ke/id/eprint/9611

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