Political Participation of Ethnic Minorities in Kenya with Specific Reference to the Asian Community in Nairobi City County, 1963-2017
Loading...
Date
2021
Authors
Omari, Nyagaka Edwin
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kenyatta University
Abstract
This study examines the involvement of ethnic minorities in Kenyan politics by making reference to Asians as one of the minority communities in Nairobi from 1963-2017. The following three objectives guided the study: first, is to assess the impact of Africanization policy on the Asian participation in elective politics in Nairobi between 1963 and 1978, secondly, to discuss the extent of the Asian participation in elective politics in Nairobi between 1979 and 2017 and finally, to assess the contributions made bythe Asians from Nairobi in constitutional review process in Kenya between 1991 and 2017. The study is grappling with the following three questions: first, how did Africanization policy impact on the political participation of Asians in the elective politics in Nairobi from 1963 to 1978? Secondly, to what extent did the Asians participate in elective politics in Nairobi between 1979 and 2017? And finally, how did Asians from Nairobi contribute towards constitutional review process in Kenya between 1991 and 2017? This study is guided by Rational Choice and Liberal Democracy theories as analytical tools. A descriptive research survey design informed the methodology of the study. Likewise, the study adopted the use of both secondary and primary sources of data for puposes of data collection. Primary data was collected through an in-depth oral interviews and questionnaires. Other sources of primary data included archival sources such as letters of correspondence between Asians and government/political institutions, memos, speeches, presentations during commission of inquiries, notices of motion in parliament, petitions filed by Asians and parliamentary hansards, while secondary data was collected through the use of published journals and books, newspapers, theses, internet resources and periodicals. More so to analyse data in a thematic manner, the researcher utilized a descriptive approach which involved selection of comments from respondents for purposes of explaining the extent and rate of the Asian participation in the political space of Nairobi City. The study findings reveal that the levels of political participation among the Asians of Kenya origin did decline in Nairobi between 1963 and 1978 as a result of Africanization policy. However, the Asian community remained very active in various aspects of elective and non-elective politics in Nairobi between the period 1978 and 2017. For instance, Asian tycoons started contributing towards political causes as well as financing political activities of senior political figures not only in Nairobi, but also in other parts of the country. Last but not least, the study did establish that the Asians from Nairobi were in the forefront championing for constitutional reforms in Kenya. Consequently, their contribution aided in the realization of Kenya’s 2010 Constitution.
Description
A Thesis Submitted to the School of Humanities and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts in Political Science of Kenyatta University, December, 2021
Keywords
Political Participation, Ethnic Minorities, Kenya, Specific Reference, Asian Community, Nairobi City County, 1963-2017