Ethnicity and pluralism: the politicization of religion in Kenya

Mazrui, Alamin

doi:10.1080/13602009308716291

Cited by 9 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Especially since the 1990s, politicians have increasingly relied on Christian forms and practices to build support and legitimacy, for example by televising church visits and attending church fundraising events as patrons (Deacon et al 2017: 150-3). Given Christian predominance in Kenyan public life and politics, it is perhaps unsurprising that marginalized youth have sometimes expressed discontent through movements inspired by religions other than Christianity (Mazrui 1994). For example, during the 1990s, the Mungiki movement, which grew among marginalized Kikuyu youth, advocated a return to Kikuyu traditionalism and a generational change of power, while gaining a notorious reputation for violence (Rasmussen 2010).…”

Section: Youth Violence and Religion In Kenyamentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Idle minds’ and ‘empty stomachs’: youth, violence and religious diversity in coastal Kenya

Meinema¹

2020

Africa

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This article analyses how concerns about youth and violence intersect with the politics of managing religious coexistence in the coastal Kenyan town of Malindi. During extensive ethnographic research, I noticed that Muslim, Christian and ‘Traditionalist’ leaders, politicians and NGO officials often fear that the ‘idleness’ of young people leaves them susceptible to various immoralities, including political violence and ‘violent extremism’, that threaten peaceful ethnic and religious coexistence. The article explores how these concerns motivate leaders’ attempts to incorporate youth in development and peace projects, and how youth respond to these interventions. These projects are funded by Western donors, who often see ‘radical’ religiosity, especially among Muslim youth, as a security threat. Yet, leaders in Malindi accommodate donor policies to the (coastal) Kenyan context, and tend to understand immoralities and violence as resulting from a lack of religiosity among youth. The article argues that perceptions of ‘idle youth’ as potentially violent threats to peaceful religious coexistence and morality allow leaders to develop a ‘moral religiosity’ that is shared across religious divides. However, the ways in which youth strategically resist or comply with interventions to pacify them demonstrate that they do not necessarily agree with dominant moral and political constellations.

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Section: Youth Violence and Religion In Kenyamentioning

confidence: 99%

‘Idle minds’ and ‘empty stomachs’: youth, violence and religious diversity in coastal Kenya

Meinema¹

2020

Africa

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“…He created an office dealing with ethics and public accountability. It was during his leadership that his PS for the Department of Ethics, and his confidant in ethical issues, John Githongo (27) blew whistle on the grand corruption (4). Despite the President's full awareness of cartels, scams and ethical decadence in his administration he was silent on stealing of public money (monetary corruption) and corrupt deals in his government (bureaucratic corruption) (44) making him part ways with some of his political lieutenants and allies.…”

Section: Kenya At a Cross-road With Historical Ethicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Governance Ethics & Business: Kenyan Growing Economy at Cross-road in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century

Onyoyo¹

2015

aeb

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Governance Ethics and business: Kenya at a Cross Road in the 21 st Century is an intellectual investigation into what has not worked well so far despite all attributed good reasons. The author has touched on spheres of public behavioural conduct in business affairs to reveal the rot in the entire system. The exploration is backed by tangible cases of how ethical standards are influencing the national economy. The essay acknowledges and compliments reform process and affirmative action especially the legal transformation. But also he admits that change of law and adjustments within the institutions have not transformed governance, public accountability, and work ethics. Reading from the essay one shall get to understand that ethical problems are not a question of having good laws in place but also change of attitude, and winning hearts and minds of leaders.

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“…The most common complaints against upcountry governance included the following: the revenues of Kilindini Harbour in Mombasa (the biggest in East Africa) being channelled upcountry and not invested in the coast; lucrative fishing and mangrove‐pole trade being restricted; no significant investments benefiting the coastal community being made; education being deliberately kept at a low level (with, for example, the worst teachers sent to the coast); difficulty for Muslims in obtaining identity cards and passports, or other legal documents (like title deeds); drug trafficking and abuse in coastal towns 5 not being controlled but seemingly being condoned by the authorities. In short, it is a common sentiment among coastal Muslims that consecutive upcountry governments have worked to decrease their economic prosperity, diminish their educational perspectives, and undermine their chances for the future (see Ali A. Mazrui 1993; A. Mazrui 1994; A.M.…”

Section: The Double‐peripherymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In return, Moi promised ‘peace, love, and unity’ to the people through nyayo politics. Without discussing the exclusively Christian bias of the nyayo PR campaign (A. Mazrui 1994: 196) or academically dressed versions explaining and justifying nyayo as ‘philosophy’ (Moi 1986), the implicit message to all citizens should be underscored: as long as one follows the supreme ruler unquestioningly, one will live in peace.…”

Section: National Politics: the Moi Eramentioning

confidence: 99%

Muslim politics in postcolonial Kenya: negotiating knowledge on the double‐periphery

Kresse¹

2009

Royal Anthropological Inst

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This paper investigates Muslim politics in its wider social context in postcolonial Kenya, with a historical focus mainly on the Moi era (1978‐2002). Hereby, I look at the introduction, integration, and internal constestation of Islamic reformist ideologies in Swahili discourse and in social practice. Central to my argument about the interconnections between Muslim politics, national politics, and coastal sociality is the notion of a ‘knowledge economy’, within the postcolonial setting of a ‘double‐periphery’ in which Kenyan coastal Muslims are situated, vis‐à‐vis the state and the Muslim umma (community of believers). I discuss the dynamics between aspects of knowledge and rhetorics, reasoning and power, and ideology and social practice at work in this particular Muslim context. All of this is situated within national Kenyan politics, and discussed against the background of a postcolonial state governed by upcountry Christians with whom coastal Muslims have historically had a tense and antagonistic relationship. Résumé L’auteur étudie l’islam politique dans le contexte social général du Kenya postcolonial, principalement durant l’ère Moi (1978‐2002). Il s’intéresse ainsi à l’introduction, à l’intégration et à la contestation interne des idéologies réformistes islamiques dans le discours et la pratique sociale des Swahilis. Son argumentation est que le lien entre islam politique, politique nationale et socialité dans les régions côtières est constitué par la notion « d’économie du savoir », dans le cadre postcolonial d’une « double périphérie » dans laquelle se situent les musulmans des côtes du Kenya : périphérie vis‐à‐vis de l’État, mais aussi de l’umma, la communauté des croyants musulmans. L’auteur commente la dynamique entre aspects du savoir et rhétorique, raisonnement et pouvoir, idéologie et pratique sociale à l’œuvre dans ce contexte musulman particulier. L’ensemble s’inscrit dans la politique nationale du Kenya et est discuté avec pour toile de fond un État postcolonial, gouverné par les chrétiens de l’arrière‐pays avec lesquels les musulmans de la côte ont toujours eu des relations chargées de tensions et d’antagonismes.

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Ethnicity and pluralism: the politicization of religion in Kenya

Cited by 9 publications

References 1 publication

‘Idle minds’ and ‘empty stomachs’: youth, violence and religious diversity in coastal Kenya

‘Idle minds’ and ‘empty stomachs’: youth, violence and religious diversity in coastal Kenya

Governance Ethics & Business: Kenyan Growing Economy at Cross-road in the 21<sup>st</sup> Century

Muslim politics in postcolonial Kenya: negotiating knowledge on the double‐periphery

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