Beyond Ethnic Arithmetic: Re-engineering Kenyan Political Parties through African Pragmatism for Communitarian and Issue-Based Politics

Abstract

Globally, ethnicity remains a fundamental and often destabilizing force in party politics, shaping electoral competition and coalition formation. In multi-ethnic democracies, political parties frequently exploit ethnic identities for mobilization, reinforcing deep-seated divisions and fueling cyclical violence despite constitutional reforms. This is acutely evident in Kenya, where political parties operate primarily as ethnic vehicles, perpetuating exclusionary governance, and undermining democratic consolidation. Therefore, this study sought to investigate the alternative, culturally grounded frameworks capable of transcending ethnic politics and fostering issue-based politics and sustainable peace through African Pragmatism. The study reveals political parties in Nakuru County perpetuate electoral conflict through ethnic mobilization (49.7%) and historical divisions (66.7% consensus). While effective at voter mobilization (66.7%), their agenda-setting function fuels violence (89.5%), prioritizing ethnic allegiance over policy platforms. This study advocates for adopting African Pragmatism in Kenya's political ecosystem, urging political parties to institutionalize elder-mediated primaries and Ubuntu-based consensus-building to replace ethnic patronage systems. Thus, legislation should be anchored on Harambee's collective action principles, creating legal frameworks that incentivize inter-ethnic coalition-building and restorative justice approaches, thereby transforming politics from ethnic arithmetic to developmental governance.