Factional politics and political development in Uganda and Kenya since independence : a study of clientelism, spoils politics and stability, 1960-1990

• Main Author: Appe, James M.
• Published: University of Edinburgh 1995
• Subjects: 320
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.640562

This is a critical evaluation of the politics of Uganda and Kenya from 1960 to 1990. It reviews the political developments of the two countries from a statist perspective and focuses mainly on the personal power relations among the leading politicians. The aim is to account for the dynamics and effects of factional politics in political change and on state stability. The concept of clientelism is used to provide the theoretical framework. The study sees factionalism as a process, with clientelism and spoils politics as variables, and suggests that although factional politics inevitably leads to spoils politics and instability if left uncontrolled, it can also be utilised into clientelism under certain circumstances and this can provide the basis of state stability. This proposition is then used to account for the major political changes in each country as well as for their dramatically different political experiences. In particular it argues that Kenyatta's effective regulation of personal power relations led to the institutionalisation of clientelism which in turn ensured a measure of stability, and that it was Obote's inability to control competition and regulate personal power relations among his ministers which led to chaos in Uganda through spoils politics.