Kenya’s Power-Sharing Arrangement and Its Implications for Transitional Justice

Abstract

The power-sharing arrangement that ended Kenya’s 2007-2008 crisis seemingly offered a window of opportunity for dealing with past abuses. However, the very nature of this power-sharing deal has proven to be among the greatest obstacles for giving effect to the promises of transitional justice. By facilitating a power-sharing deal between political elites struggling for power and wealth, and allowing these political elites to control the justice tools, the power-sharing deal has enabled a continuation, perhaps even a consolidation, of this political culture, which this article argues poses a serious obstacle to achieving a much needed transition.

Keywords: Kenyan National Dialogue and Reconciliation, power-sharing, past human