Political Parties and Election Violence in Distressed Societies

This book explores the question why democratic elections have consistently failed in several countries in sub-Sahara Africa, despite huge investments by the governments and donor countries in support for democratization process. Based on the theoretical concepts of Material Incentive and Solidarity Incentive, this study contends that strategies used to mobilize voters during national elections have always created opportunities for pre-election and post-election violence. This book went further to argue that the previous studies had failed to take into account the importance of Inter-ethnic historical grievance between contending ethnic nationalities in sub-Sahara Africa. Again, previous studies were found to have failed to recognize the question of legitimate identity rights claim among citizens in these countries. As an explanatory variable, this study is using Solidarity Incentive Concept to provide reasons why the national elections in Nigeria, and Kenya have consistently experienced democracy devaluation.