Kenya: The Myth of East Africa's Democratic "City on a Hill"
Abstract
International entities refer to Kenya as a success story for the African continent, particularly in the tumultuous East African region, regarding political practices and democratic principles. However, conflicting national conditions, ranging from a model of democracy and political maturity to a powder keg of violence and dissent, leads to skepticism regarding Kenya's stability. Despite the turmoil, the May 2010 United States National Security Strategy names Nigeria and Kenya as "key states" and "essential subregional linchpins." Democracies are not predominant throughout Africa, but rather they exist sporadically, and tenuously. The task of this paper will be to determine if, based on established criteria, Kenya represents one such sporadic incident of democracy, stable enough to be regarded as an enduring model of African democracy, specifically, a "City on a Hill" for East Africa. Labeling Kenya as a "regional linchpin" stems from its international reputation as a democracy and its strong economic sector. However, Kenya maintains a facade of democracy to appease international donor governments and trade partners. Kenya does not meet the nominal criteria for a democracy, regardless of international perceptions and reputation. In fact, Kenyans, like most people of East Africa, face a desperate struggle for sustenance and an absence of individual economic potential. This struggle prevents the environmental and social conditions allowing for the exercise of democratic principles and the establishment of institutional mechanisms of democracy. One struggles to predict the future for Kenya in light of its failure as a democracy and its failure to serve as a model for East Africa.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 21, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA601894
Entities
People
- Kelly L. Strong
Organizations
- Marine Corps University