PUBLIC PERCEPTION ON THE CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF VOTE BUYING IN KENYA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

A complex and diverse problem is the public perception of vote buying in Kenya. The problem of vote buying has trumped the goal to establish a democratic form of governance. The democratic economic institution is being rapidly weakened by this situation. However, if this scenario is not promptly resolved, it poses a serious threat to the future of the Kenya political system.

Conceptually, the term vote buying is "the exchange of money and material compensation by a voter to a political party or candidate to cast a vote in his or her favour or even to abstain from voting so as to boost the candidates chance of winning the elections,". Additionally,the issue of vote buying is viewed as a contract between the voter and the candidate or political party doing the purchase. Subsequently,recent evidence suggests that vote buying takes place during voter registration, the nomination process, Election Day, and campaigning process.Similarly, political party or candidate’s representative were virtually in charge throughout the election in order to get people to vote for the candidate they could afford (Adigun, 2019).

Additionally,vote-buying is a commercial process in which candidates for public office, political parties, or their agents negotiate to purchase the voters' votes from the sellers. According to Nnoli (2019) vote buying is the same as exchanging products and services for agreed-upon rates in a public market. Ideally, elections create a “social contract” between candidates and constituents who voted with the presumption that the candidates will govern along the lines of their stated policy platforms. According to international standards, in a true democracy every citizen has the right to stand for office, subject to reasonable restrictions. However, vote buying makes it impossible to meet these standards by penalizing potential candidates who are at an economic disadvantage. especially women and minority politicians (Uwamahoro, 2020). However, it enables poor governance and undercuts citizens’ ability to hold their elected officials accountable. According to Uwamahoro, "a candidate will have no incentive to be responsive to issues their constituents care about — issues like water and sanitation, education, and unemployment — if they believe all they need to do to be elected is pay off voters and government officials."

In addition, the practice of vote buying persists in environments where the confidentiality of the ballot is firmly established and it provides insight into how cash disbursements can remain influential even in situations where parties are unable or choose not to directly oversee the voting choices of those who receive these incentives. Beyond that, one implication here is that although it's crucial to have policies that enhance the secrecy of ballots, particularly in places like Kenya, these measures may not necessarily decrease the prevalence or effectiveness of vote buying. Instead, Baldwin (2020) after much argument and findings suggest that the effectiveness of vote buying diminishes when certain aspects of the structural environment undergo change. Also, in an instance, when political parties become more established and can offer more credible programmatic and material pledges, when a self-sustaining middle class emerges that doesn't rely on political connections with politicians for resources, and when politicians have less discretion in allocating state resources, reducing the citizens' need for a personal representative to deliver resources.

Further more, In their respective studies, Shilaho (2015) and Bengal (2018) emphasized that they found vote buying to have adverse consequences on Kenya's democratic system. This includes causing political disinterest, leadership conflicts, political violence, fostering an unhealthy political environment, disregarding the needs of the populace, and acting as a hindrance to the democratization process. Therefore, a survey will be conducted on an examination public perception on the causes and consequences of vote buying in Kenya.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

In recent years, there has been a growing acknowledgment of the need for change in societal attitudes and a more robust response to vote buying. The trend has adversely undermined the integrity of Kenya people and also eroded the confidence of the voting public. Undoubtedly, the practice of vote buying results in the installation of inappropriate candidates, ultimately contributing to poor governance.

According to Mohommed (2020), a significant outcome of engaging in vote buying and selling is the elevation of unsuitable candidates to positions of power, leading to the execution of tasks in an improper manner. This, in turn, results in various losses, economic disruptions, and social disharmony within a community or nation. The prevalence of vote buying in any democratic state poses a direct challenge to the democratic process by undermining the credibility of popular votes as indicators of public support for government policies.

Furthermore, vote buying blatantly erodes the autonomy of the voting process. It has assumed a dimension that one of five Kenyans is personally exposed to vote buying and almost one in ten experience threats of electoral violence as commonly happens, campaign irregularities are targeted at the rural poor where effects are more concentrated. Hence, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to assess public perception on the causes and consequences of vote buying in Kenya.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to assess public perception on the causes and consequences of vote buying in Kenya. Specifically, the study will;

1. Assess public perception on the prevalence of vote buying in Kenya

2. Assess public perception on the causes of vote buying in Kenya

3. Assess public perception on the consequences of vote buying in Kenya

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

1. What is the public's perception of the prevalence of vote buying in Kenya?

2.What is the public's perception of the causes of vote buying in Kenya?

3.What is the public's perception of the consequences of vote buying in Kenya?

1.6 Significant of the Study

The study will provide valuable insights to political parties, encouraging them to shift from buying votes with money to becoming more established and offering authentic policies and programs. Furthermore, it seeks to enlighten voters about the repercussions of trading their support for politicians or political parties. Also, the findings of this research will be shared with the general public, enhancing their engagement and involvement in political processes by providing them with valuable information.. Additionally, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to public perception on the causes and consequences of vote buying in Kenya

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is boarded on public perception on the causes and consequences of vote buying in Kenya. Theoretically, this study will assess public perception on the prevalence of vote buying in Kenya, assess public perception on the causes of vote buying in Kenya and assess public perception on the consequences of vote buying in Kenya.

Geographically, the study will be delimited to the people in Mombasa, Kenya.

1.7 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents.

In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed.

More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Vote buying: occurs when a political party or candidate distributes money or resources to a voter in an upcoming election with the expectation that the voter will vote for him/ her in the election.

Voting : an activity of choosing someone or something in an election.

Elections: a formal and organized choice by vote of a person for a political office or other position.

Perception: a way in which something is regarded, understood, or interpreted.