L’emprise partisane au Kenya : regard sur deux campagnes électorales locales (novembre 2001 et décembre 2002)
Mathieu Mérino
Indeed, the transition to a multiparty system in the early 1990s did not bring
about the expected regime changes in Sub-Saharan Africa. This lack of interest also stems from the impression given by untrained observation of the
party system: a dysfunction in relation to an accepted norm, that of Western
political parties. This impression often springs from a lack of knowledge of
local dynamics. Indeed, in Kenya, party practices attest to their success in
gradually corralling the political and electoral fields, sometimes via contradictory actions. More precisely, analysis of their practices during the parliamentary elections of 2001 and 2002 in Eastern Province reveals how political
parties have transformed potentially disintegrating tendencies into essential
instruments in building up a monopolizing ascendancy over the electoral
field. Today, party membership is a mandatory step in entering electoral
competition. It has also become an increasingly decisive resource to achieve
success at the polls.
• Mobilité et personnalisation : une régulation originale des partis
• La promotion partisane des candidatures