To What Extent Did Ethnicity and Economic Issues Matter in the 2007 Disputed Kenyan Elections?

From:: Department for International Development
Published: 1 January 2013

Country:: Kenya
Document Type:: Journal Article
Theme:: Economic Growth
Authors:: Gutiérrez-Romero, R.

Abstract

This article assesses the key factors that influenced the intention to vote in the 2007 presidential election in Kenya, using data from a survey and other external datasets. Ethnicity was found to be one of the main factors. However, access to private and public goods, poverty and differences in wealth across ethnic groups also mattered, depending on how the voter claimed to be self-identified. Those who self-identified in terms of their ethnicity were influenced the most by access to services such as schools, health clinics and police stations, evidence suggesting that voters use ethnicity as a proxy to gauge which candidates will give them greater access to services provided by the state.

Citation

Gutiérrez-Romero, R. To What Extent Did Ethnicity and Economic Issues Matter in the 2007 Disputed Kenyan Elections? Development Policy Review (2013) 31 (3) 291-320. [DOI: 10.1111/dpr.12008]