Small Arms and Light Weapons among Pastoral Groups in the Kenya-Uganda Border Area. By Kennedy Agade Mkutu. African Affairs. Vol. 106, No. 422. 2006.
Article maps how small arms and light weapons (SALW) have entered the Kenya-Uganda cross-border region in unprecedented numbers and have become an integral part of the area’s lifestyle. Lacking any effective state security presence in rural areas, communities are taking security matters into their own hands. The article explains how an arms race has ensued among rural communities as each group scrambles for the dominant position. The government’s responses thus far have been ineffective and the continued influx of SALW into the region threatens broader destabilization.
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Institutional Reform in the New Constitution in Kenya. By Migai Akech. International Center for Transitional Justice, October 2010.
The adoption of the new Constitution of Kenya in August 2010 is likely to enhance stability and security in the country. Reducing presidential powers, restructuring the judiciary, security sector reforms, and other adjustments will enhance both state capacity and accountability. The absence of initiatives to address past human rights violations and other omissions, however, remain challenges to the constitution’s and government’s legitimacy.
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Will the Kenya Settlement Hold? By Joel D. Barkan. Current History, April 2008.
Detailed and balanced discussion on the lead-up to the 2007 post-election violence in Kenya and the prospect that the political settlement will hold.
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The Crisis in Kenya. By Maina Kiai. Journal of Democracy. Vol. 19, No. 3. July 2008.
Discusses the historical experience of democracy in Kenya and offers a clear-eyed analysis of why the 2007 elections turned violent.
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Kriegler Report: Independent Review Commission on the 2007 Kenyan Elections. By Johann Kriegler. 2008.
Widely circulated report on the 2007 presidential, parliamentary, and civic elections in Kenya that left 1,150 people dead and some 300,000 displaced. Provides a comprehensive review of the elections and offers in-depth recommendations for all aspects of the electoral process in Kenya to help ensure better implementation in the future.
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Waki Report: Commission of Inquiry into Post-Election Violence. By Philip Waki. 2008.
Led by Kenyan jurist Philip Waki, the report investigates the facts and circumstances surrounding the 2007 post-election violence in Kenya, reviewing the conduct of state security agencies and their handling of unrest and violence. The in-depth report discusses the historical context of the violence; provides a narrative of the violence in each province; addresses the four cross-cutting issues of sexual violence, internally displaced persons, the media, and the nature and impact of the violence; deals with acts and omissions of state security agencies and impunity; and concludes with recommendations.
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