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Kisii Community and the 2007-2008 Post-Election Violence

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Kisii Community and the 2007-2008 Post-Election Violence

The 2007 Kenyan Election Context

The disputed 2007 presidential election, with announced victory for incumbent Mwai Kibaki over opposition candidate Raila Odinga, triggered massive post-election violence across Kenya in late 2007 and early 2008. Ethnic dimensions were prominent in the violence.

Gusii Political Alignments

Electoral patterns:

  • Kisii County voting patterns reflected broader political dynamics
  • Gusii support was divided among different political candidates and parties
  • Clan-based political organization meant different clan groupings supported different candidates

Simeon Nyachae legacy:

  • The death of Simeon Nyachae in 2021 had occurred by 2007 (he died in 2021, not earlier)
  • Actually, Nyachae ran in 2002; his political influence had declined by 2007
  • Kisii politics by 2007 were contested among multiple politicians and alliances

Violence in Kisii County

Magnitude of violence:

  • Kisii County experienced post-election violence, though reportedly somewhat less severe than some other regions (particularly Rift Valley)
  • Documented cases of killings, displacement, and property destruction

Perpetrators and victims:

  • Violence targeted people based on perceived political allegiance and ethnicity
  • Killings, property destruction (houses burned), and displacement occurred
  • Vulnerable populations (women, children, elderly) were affected

Displacement:

  • Some Kisii were displaced by violence
  • Internally displaced persons fled to safer areas
  • Displacement created humanitarian needs

Gusii Experience in National Violence

Nyanza region context:

  • The entire Nyanza region experienced post-election violence
  • Gusii experience was part of broader regional phenomenon
  • Violence patterns reflected Luo-Kikuyu political polarization in Nyanza region

Gusii political position:

  • Gusii were not primary combatants in the violence (unlike Kikuyu and Luo, for whom violence was more extensive and organized)
  • However, Gusii experienced violence based on political allegiances
  • Some Gusii supported the government (Kibaki); others supported opposition

Clan dynamics:

  • Political violence sometimes followed clan-based political divisions
  • Violence reflected local political competitions within Kisii

Recovery and Reconciliation

Physical reconstruction:

  • Destroyed homes and property were gradually rebuilt
  • Economic recovery took time
  • Some displaced people returned home

Social healing:

  • Truth-telling processes (national level and local) occurred
  • Reconciliation initiatives attempted to address divisions
  • However, some tensions persist

Political impacts:

  • 2010 constitutional reform and 2013 devolution gave Kisii greater political autonomy through county government
  • Political competition continues but within devolved governance structure

Contemporary Perspectives

Memory and lessons:

  • The violence is remembered as traumatic
  • Some learning about conflict prevention and peace-building
  • Underlying issues (land, resources, political representation) that contributed to violence persist

Electoral caution:

  • Subsequent elections (2013, 2017, 2022) have been managed with reduced violence levels nationally
  • However, tensions remain during electoral periods
  • Kisii politics remain competitive

The Gusii experience in 2007-08 violence, while real, was less catastrophic than some other communities, though the trauma is remembered and underlying issues persist.

See Also

Key terms: 2007 election, post-election violence, Kibaki-Odinga, Nyanza violence, displacement, reconciliation

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