INFLUENCE OF STATIST TRANSFORMATION OF INTER-ETHNIC POLITICS IN THE MAN-AGEMENT OF INTER-ETHNIC CONFLICTS IN BUNGOMA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Politics largely defines both protractible and intractability in inter-ethnic conflicts globally. In Kenya, Bungo-ma County in particular, inter-ethnic political reasons exacerbated 1963 including 1992 conflicts. The specific objective was to examine the effect of statist inter-ethnic integration of politics in management of inter-ethnic conflicts in Bungoma County. A conceptual framework underpinned by Ledarach’s Conflict Transformation and Gultang’s Conflict Triangle theories guided the study. The study applied a descriptive research. The study was conducted in Bungoma County. Simple Radom and Purposive sampling procedures determined the partic-ipant. The sample size of 400 participants used was derived from 1375065 population using Yamane 1967. Questionnaires, interviews, FGD and document analysis were instruments used to collect primary and second-ary data respectively. Quantitative data was analysed by MS excel while thematization, corroboration and veri-fication was applied to qualitative data. The study findings were: Though the use of inter-ethnic politics as scapegoat scored 15% responses in fueling inter-ethnic animosity, it worked alongside, hostile inter-ethnic inter-group politics, the elite tilted inter-ethnic perceptions, inter-ethnic violent political transition from one party to multiparty, inter-ethnic political contests and intensified leadership struggles which scored 17% re-sponses each in influencing inter-ethnic conflicts in Bungoma County. However, despite the regulation of po-litical parties, affirmative action, consensus and inter-ethnic integration were statist inter-ethnic structures set for inter-ethnic political integration, the process was lethergic. The study recommends, detachment of inter-ethnic demarcation from political cum administrative boundaries in Bungoma County.