Determinants of Stakeholders Participation in the Electoral Process in Kenya: The Case of Murang’a County
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Date
2021
Authors
Maina, Jane Muthoni
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
Stakeholders’ participation has become an important requirement in governance globally. In Kenya, the constitution of Kenya (2010) made it mandatory for stakeholders’ participation in most government activities and constitutional obligations. Nevertheless, most of the scholars have paid little attention to the importance of stakeholders’ participation in the electoral process in Kenya. This study sought to examine the determinants of stakeholders’ participation in the electoral process in Murang’a County, Kenya. The specific objectives of the study were: to examine how politicians determine stakeholders’ participation in the electoral process, to analyze how religious leaders determine stakeholders’ participation in the electoral process, and to establish how the NGOs determine stakeholders’ participation in the electoral process. The sociological theory of voting was used to explain stakeholders’ participation in the electoral process. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The site of study was Kandara Sub-County in Murang’a County. The study targeted all the registered voters from Kandara Sub County, as well as the clergy, Employees of the Independent Electoral Boundaries Commission in the County (IEBC), and the representatives on Non-Governmental Organizations in the Sub- County, that focus on electoral matters. A combination of Stratified and purposive sampling, was employed to identify knowledgeable respondents from the target population in every ward. The research involved six wards in Kandara namely, Ruchu, Ithiru, Ng’araria, Gaichanjiru, Kagundu-ini and Muruka and from every ward 50 individuals were sampled leading to a total of 300 people. Data was gathered with the help of questionnaires and interview guide. The information gathered was analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The study concludes that politicians determine stakeholders in the electoral process and that religious leaders and NGOs play a major role in determining stakeholders to participate in the electoral process. Out of the three, politicians determine stakeholders more with 84.8%, followed by the religious leaders with70.5% and lastly the UNDP with 67.6%. The study recommends that appropriate policies should be formulated to manage and deter politician from interfering with electoral process. The IEBC official should also work professionally to bring back the lost glory of electoral process. Corruption and ethnicity is the greatest predicament that affects the whole process of election.
Description
A Research Project Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of Master of Public Policy and Administration Degree of Kenyatta University, November, 2021
Keywords
Determinants, Stakeholders Participation, Electoral Process, Kenya, Murang’a County