Democracy politics in Kenya strongly holds the traditions and cultural practices yet with immense influence of colonial political Cultures.

1. Culture, Identity & Power
Mkosa Mila Ni Mtumwa Ikiriinya Caroline Kinya

2. Concepts
– Political culture can be defined as the “set of attitudes, beliefs and sentiments
that give order and meaning to a political process, including the underlying
assumptions and rules that govern political behavior.
– The concept of culturalism is based on the view that individuals are determined
by their culture, and that cultures have a claim to special rights and even if at the
same time violate individual rights or do not content with universal norms.
(GoldSmith, 2017)

3. Ethnicity
– Colonial Era Vices; A Nation :-44 tribes
– Marginalization
– Divide and rule
– Corruption
– Political Parties affiliations;Alliances, Coalitions
– The importance of Tyranny of Numbers
– Tribal Political Manipulation
Tribalism, according to Hornby S., is a way of
behaving in which people are more loyal to
their tribe than their friends, their country, or
any other social group.

4. Disagreement of issues in a society.
– Influence of TraditionalCultureon the modern politics.;Politicalideology;- Majimbo System & unitary system – One party System- Multi-party
system- Devolution
– PoliticalTrust:The past historicalbetrays makes its difficultfor tribesto work together.
Referendum
2005 (ODM
Kenya)
Split; Two; ODM,
Wiper
2007: Change of
Constitution;
ODM Majimbo
system
ICC Cases
TNU
2013
Historical
injustice
2017:
Distributive
Justices
politics

5. Distributive Issue Politics.
– Historical Injustice
– Land was a key reason for the struggle for independence and land issues remain politically sensitive and culturally complex.
– Water
– Education
– Infrastructure.
– Electricity
– Emerging issues
– Employment.
– Insecurity.
– Corruption
– Land grabbing
– Terrorism

6. Traditional Institutions Power;
– Streamlining the political Class.
– Rituals
– Legitimacyand Competiveness:-;secure support
– The Culture of seeking Legitimacy;Young Contemporary leaders
– TraditionalPoliticalCulture compete modern PoliticalCulture
– The Handshake!
– Kalenjin, Luo and Gema elders defend Uhuru-Raila handshake
– Elders argue that the handshake was God inspired!