Bitter strug gles about the relationship between religion and politics have played out in the new constitution, the courts, the media, electoral politics, and culture. Hence swahiliarab political influences essentially came to a halt in kenya. Muslims in kenyan politics explores the changing relationship between muslims and the state in kenya from precolonial times to the present, culminating in the radicalization of a section of the muslim population in recent decades. In particular, this article traces the historical development of islam in east africa and discusses the political background of kenya. Religion, peacebuilding, and social cohesion in conflict. It would be erroneous to consider islamic practices in eastern africa as arabic practices, and associate islam with arabs, since islam did not arabise east africans. The politicization of islam in kenya is deeply connected with the sense of marginalization that shapes muslims understanding of kenyan politics and government policies. Children under 16 were sometimes not given the religion of the. In the academic year 200304, he served as visiting associate professor at the research. The same trends were realized in post independent kenya. Both tunisia and egypt, for example, experienced major political upheavals in 2011, with islamic parties emerging as the dominant political blocs.
They are the largest ethnic group in ethiopia and represent 34. Sudan, somalia, kenya, tanzania and uganda, providing a brief overview of the history of religion and con. However, some christian groups charge that the entrenchment of islamic shari a law into the new constitution will provide. Kenya 2016 international religious freedom report executive summary. Religion and politics in the contemporary kenya european. Sometimes it means little more than incorporating nonwestern ideas and authors into the study of political theory dallmayr.
Given that there were muslims involved in the negotiation. The politicization of islam in kenya is deeply connected with the sense of marginalization that shapes muslims understanding of kenyan politics. Islamic reform, political islam, and other contemporary ways of being muslim in africa but it also offers original analytical perspectives for understanding changes in the practice of islam and muslim politics more generally. This basically means that anything political cannot be religious and conversely anything.
With islam, emerged the lingua franca, kiswahili, spoken throughout east and central africa and the swahili culture which is mostly associated with muslims. The role of religion in politics and governance in kenya. Oromoo are a cushitic ethnic group and nation native to ethiopia and kenya who speak the oromo language. For instance, if a muslim country has a right to dictate its law. On top of that, many other issues get involved in it. Religious freedom in kenya executive summary 1 the constitution of kenya provides for freedom of religion, separates church and state, and guards its citizens from religious discrimination and unwelcome religious pressure. The kenyan government, like the govern ments of uganda, tanzania, and most. Local and global influences on islamic ngos in kenya. Muslim views on religion and politics pew research center. Introduction the main point i wish to make in this short essay regarding the relationship among. As in kenya, the general context of the emergence of islamic based political opposition in the. Pdf islam, politics, and violence on the kenya coast. Islam and politics in kenya scholarly publications leiden university.
Islam in political context amit pandya introduction. Historically, most of the alien religions trace their origins to areas outside this continent. As a political ideology, it has motivated, and still motivates. African history, islamic education, and islam in africa. Islam is well entrenched at the coastal region while. Section 493 states that any provision in the marriage act that is inconsistent with islamic law and practices shall not apply to persons who profess the islamic faith. Based on several years of research in kenya, the analysis ranges from telescopic to microscopic fields of vision from national political culture, oratory, and the staging of politics, to everyday struggles for livelihood among people in one rural locale during the past century. As it has been observed critically by the author, politics in kenya are ethnocentric. Haram operating in nigeria, alqaida in the islamic maghreb operating in the sahara aqim and the lords resistance army operating in uganda kaufman, 2012. The influence and the new trends in islamic outreach although the struggle for independence in kenya was a very crucial time for all kenyans, very little is documented on muslims participation. Development of education in colonial kenya was politically directed. In our country and in muslim and western countries, diverse ideas and opinions have been presented in this regard. Nairobi has several mosques and a notable muslim population the majority of muslims in kenya follow the sunni islam of shafi school of jurisprudence at 73%, 8% with shia and 8% as nondenominational muslims.
Essays in honor of a meddlesome priest find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. Views on the role of religion in politics may not be the only factor affecting attitudes toward islamic parties. Islam was, and is, one of the most powerful means of explaining human life and giving meaning to our activity. The trend, while unmistakable, has also been very contentious. Only 37% of 18to29 yearolds embrace a significant role for islam in politics, meaning they either believe islam plays a large role and say this is a good thing or believe it plays a small role and say this is bad. Pastoralism and politics in northern kenya and southern.
In establishing the islamic state in this manner, the activists conscience. Request pdf on jan 1, 2001, alamin mazrui and others published islam and. Its influence has been felt throughout the course of kenyan history. Like in the rest of east africa, christianity and islam came to kenya via different routes. Islam and politics in kenya scholarly publications. The embassy supported interfaith and civic efforts to defuse political and ethnic tensions. It is based on anthropological field research over a period of thirtyfour years and attempts a synthesis of historical findings and political anthropology, including studies carried out from a perspective of development intervention. On one popular understanding, politics is concerned with the allocation of values in any social system. Have been interpreted to mean religion and politics are two seperable realms. In particular, this article traces the historical development of islam in east africa and discusses the political background of kenya and tanzania.
Islam and christianity in subsaharan africa, conducted in 20082009 and released in 2010. The coastal areas in kenya remained muslim settlements which were governed by arabswahili rulers until1498, when vasco da gama, a portuguese christian pioneer, arrived at malindi, with roman catholic missionaries in his company barret, et al. From the time of the presence of muslim arab traders on the eastern african coast to the present day, muslims have asserted their influence in kenyan politics and in the society. Haram operating in nigeria, alqaida in the islamic maghreb operating in the sahara aqim. In recent years, comparative political thought has become increasingly popular. While earlier studies of christianity in africa focused on the roles of european missions and missionaries in establishing christianity in africa, historians now tend to stress the roles of african converts, catechists, translators, and evangelists in interpreting christianity, spreading it to their neighbors, and establishing new christian movements and churches that are as. Christianity came mainly from europe and america while islam. Church, politics, kenya introduction to some people the possibility of the relationship between the churchreligion and the state is unheard of. Alamin kimathi, executive coordinatorchair of muslim.
In the two important east african countries of kenya and tanzania, muslims c. Multiparty politics reemerged in kenya after december 1991, with the repeal of section 2a of the constitution. West, and i will try to make all articles available in electronic form, via pdf or. In east africa, alshabaab is the biggest threat to the security of the region. Is the muslim population of kenya becoming more radicalised. Christianity came mainly from europe and america while islam and the oriental religions came from asia. About twothirds of east africas muslims reside in tanzania which is the most populous of the east african countries i. Muslim renewal and western understanding the difficult encounter between the muslim world and the west at the level of security policy, diplomacy, and politics is complicated by cultural and ideological tension, and a degree of intellectual incomprehension. Request pdf on jan 1, 2001, alamin mazrui and others published islam and politics in kenya find, read and cite all the research you need on researchgate. The history of islamic political thought is a gripping story in its own right. Human rights and muslim religious organizations stated that certain muslim communities, especially ethnic somalis, were the target.
Pdf on jan 1, 2009, ben knighton published religion and politics in kenya. To familiarie the studes nts with kenya s socioeconomic and political formation through an indepth study of selected critical issues in her political, economic and social development. Thus, it is argued, suspicions of muslims that permeate kenyan politics have resulted in the increased importance of islamic ngos. This is followed by a postcolonial state, which gives rise to an ambiguity of intimacy, collaboration, competition and a contradictory vision of social organization between. May 25, 2017 for a good source framing political islam in africa as a set of debates, see mazrui, et al. Jul 10, 2012 in lebanon, young people are less likely to see islam s political influence as positive. African countries, prohibits the formation of political parties based on religion. In kenya as it is the case with most african countries, ethnicity has been and still remains the strongest force that binds a group together because other bases of alignment such as. Quinn and quinn 2003 is an example of a qualitative comparative approach to generalizing about trends in islamism across africa, drawing on five cases. Identity politics remains the key intervening variable undermining positive progression toward social cohesion in kenya. But the question is how far this law can be transformed into legislation for running a political government. Islam and politics in kenya request pdf researchgate. Islamic political activism uses force and wages jihad.
Whereas religion played a role in the struggle against colonialism in sudan, somalia, kenya and tanzania, since independence. Focuses on pastoralism, politics, policies and development in northern kenya and southern ethiopia. The percentage of muslims here recorded in uganda and kenya is almost certainly too small. Islam blends politics with military might for instance jihad is a religous and political slogan that suggests a violent course to make others submit to the islamic faith. Islam, hardly dormant prior to 2011, is playing an even more powerful role in egyptian public life. Hurst haynes, jeffrey 2005 islamic militancy in east africa, third world quarterly, 26, 8, pp. If we place these different ideas and opinions in a spectrum, the theory of separation of religion and politics will occupy one side and the theory of inseparability of.
Ethnicity and political pluralism in kenya electoral. The government, for its part, has fears that the influence of some foreign and. By january 1992 this growing muslim self confidence inspired young educated muslims to establish the islamic party of kenya ipk. Secularism many talks have already been made regarding the relationship between religion and politics. This has led to increasing politicization of islam in kenya, with the formation of the islamic. Oromoo are a cushitic ethnic group and nation native to ethiopia and kenya who speak the oromo language as their mother tongue also called afaan oromoo and oromiffa, which is part of the cushitic branch of the afroasiatic language family. The ultimate endgoal that terrorists seek to accomplish is to create an atmosphere of fear. African christianity african studies oxford bibliographies. Henceforth, islam spread to the surrounding areas of kakamega, kisumu, kisii and bungoma. Muslim community clearly has gained a voice in kenyan politics oded 2000. A political history of kenya dr john mwaruvie history, political science and pubic administration moi university p. Sep 01, 2001 one of israels bestinformed africanists surveys the background to the antigovernment riots that erupted in the early 1990s among kenyan muslims, who make up roughly onefifth of the countrys population. In kenya as it is the case with most african countries, ethnicity has been and still remains the. Institute on religion and public policy report religious.
The weakness of the kenyan state has provided a favourable environment for acts of terror. The relationship between politics and islam in kenya alongside the neotraditional movements is conditioned by the consanguinity between christianity and the colonial. Local political circumstances may also influence opinions on this question. Kenya 2016 international religious freedom report executive summary the constitution and other laws and policies prohibit religious discrimination and protect religious freedom, including the freedom to practice any religion or belief through worship, teaching, or observance and to debate religious questions. Despite longstanding divisions based on race, leadership rivalries, and doctrinal issues, most kenyan muslims share a wellfounded conviction that the christiandominated government. Islam and politics in kenya article letter to editor since independence there is widespread grievance among kenyan muslims who feel that the mainly christian regime treats them as secondclass citizens and discriminates against them economically and politically. Islamic reform, political islam, and other contemporary ways of being muslim in africa but it also offers original analytical perspectives for understanding changes in the practice of islam and muslim politics. Though in kenya these factors are considered, the political factor is seen as the steering wheel of education in the country. Africa, we have also seen a resurgence of islamic political movements. In egypt, the best example was the jihad organization, which was involved in the assassination of egypts president sadat in 1981. Kenya s muslim population comprises ethnic arabs, indians, and black africans, and its status has varied historically. To supplement the students understanding of kenya through their experience and observation while in the country.
Interviews conducted with muslims in five southern provinces only. In 1982 section 2a had officially made kenya a oneparty state, with the kenya african national union kanu the sole legal party. We start with identifying the most important islamic values related to the field of politics, and set the salient features of a configuration of a contemporary political system that would fulfill such values. Up to now it has been neglected by all but a few specialists. Hence, a deeper understanding of the history of islam along with the internal politics of kenya and tanzania are necessary tools for the us to craft an effective policy in the region. The terms, politics and state have been construed as mutually exclusive. Islam in kenya and tanzania united states air force. If we place these different ideas and opinions in a spectrum, the theory of separation of religion and politics will occupy one side and the theory of. Politics on the other hand is given different definitions by different people. Islam, politics, and violence on the kenya coast core. Islamic politics african studies oxford bibliographies. Toward a political economy of pentecostalism in kenya, journal of religion in africa, 43, 2, pp.
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