Topic: Electoral Violence and Intimidation
Country: Kenya
Delegate Name: Allison Brazeau
School: Mattawan High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Kenya position papers GLIMUN 2009 committees
Electoral violence must be effectively eliminated in order for peace to exist even momentarily. Unnecessary wars are waging, mostly in African countries, whenever new leaders are elected. If these wars do not stop they might eventually spread into neighboring countries, expanding the violence, and increasing the number of civilians dying.
The country of Kenya has recently overcome a civil war. Our people are now suffering as the effects of this war impact our country. The 2007 election in Kenya saw the end of KANU's rule. The opposition forces immediately attacked the government, and for two months a war was fought and an unbelievable number of people died. This war was only ended when the two major political parties signed a document claiming that they would share the government. This was an important measure in ending the violence.
After this civil war Kenya received help from many political leaders to restore the peace, restore the people’s rights and liberties, and to solve the political crisis. Kenya believes that the way to solve electoral violence, in other countries as well, is for the different political parties to work together. Our political parties agreed on creating a Prime Minister, which had not existed in Kenya since 1964. Another important step in ending electoral violence is the separation of state and government.
To end electoral violence it is necessary for every sector of the community to work as one. One of the main problems of the Kenyan electoral violence in 2007, and in many other countries, is ethnic diversity. We are calling for other countries that are experiencing electoral violence to change their government.
