Research Strategy

The research strategy for this study is engendered in the thesis outline presented in chapter one. This is reflected in chapters three, four and five of this study. The chapters provide substantive analyses of the data collected in relation to the research question. This study contributes knowledge to wider SSR literature in transitional and post-conflict contexts. Therefore, a thorough understanding of existing literature in this area was important. For this reason, chapter two of the study is designed to anchor Kenya’s SSR, particularly police and justice reform, into the wider SSR debates. Specifically, three literature areas; security sector reform processes in transitional post-conflict contexts; political aspects of

57 The section primarily concerns with the providing a justification for the methodology and methods already presented in chapter one.

SSR; and efficacy of security sector reforms to policing and community needs form literature themes

Having located the Kenyan case within the broader SSR literatures and debates, it was necessary to provide a detailed analysis of post-2007 aftermath in terms of how the post-conflict security sector reform agenda was set in Kenya. This strategy is informed by the fact that the way agendas get set is critical to the implementation process (Jenkins-Smith and Sabatier, 2003, Sutton, 1999). To achieve this strategy, chapter three explores the literature on agenda setting theory to provide an appropriate framework for discussing how Kenya’s security sector reform agenda was set. For the purpose of analysis in this chapter, John Kingdom’s policy streams model (Kingdon, 2002) is used to explain how the security sector reform agenda was constructed in the post-2007 Kenya. ⁵⁸

Having analysed, in detail, the post-2007 security sector reform agenda, examining the progress in the implementation of police reform agenda, in terms of emerging debates, disputes and progress was critical. Whilst this was possible by simply describing the implementation process, our best option for achieving this strategy was to understand why and how different actors involved in the reform process, behaved in a particular manner in relation to the implementation process. This strategy helped clarify why certain police reform priorities turned out as such in their implementation.

For this reason, chapter four examines in detail the development of the police and justice reform agenda since the 2007 to the present, scrutinising the objectives of the actors involved and contrasting the factual situation on the ground with the officially approved police/SSR agenda as espoused in the Report of the National Taskforce on Police Reform (GoK, 2009). ⁵⁹

58 Kingdom argues that agenda setting is influenced by participants and the processes by which agenda items and alternatives are generated. The interactions of processes (streams) including; problems, policies and politics creates a window of opportunity through which change emerges. These debates are further clarified in Chapter 3.

59 The taskforce was formed in May 2009 to provide direction for police reforms. Its report provides an outline of recommendations of police reform in four broad areas

As argued by a number of scholars (Nathan, 2008, Wulf, 2011), police reform and SSR processes are extremely political. How these might manifest in Kenya was interesting especially given the fact that while power-sharing has become a critical tool in resolving conflicts, little has been done in relation to the interactions between the politics of power-sharing and security sector reform in transitional and post-conflict contexts. The strategy here is to explore how police and justice reform processes in Kenya might have been facilitated or constrained by the power-sharing agreement in Kenya since 2008. Chapter five reflects this strategy by assessing this interrelationship based on Arend Lijphart’s framework of ‘Consociationalism’ (Lijphart, 2008), exploring the extent to which elements of consociation affect police and justice reform processes during the lifespan of power-sharing government in Kenya.

Literature review also largely reveals that as a normative concept, SSR seeks to improve efficiency in provision security amongst members of the public. As such, having analysed how the security sector reform agenda was set in Kenya and explored its progress in implementation process, it was important to assess the outcomes of these reform initiatives. The strategy here is to present findings relating to the extent to which police reform responds to policing and security needs of the Kenyan population, as much as providing impact lessons for police reforms in post-conflict settings. Whilst multiple interpretations of security and security sector reform priorities were anticipated, our focus was however limited to those aspects that were key to the focus of our inquiry - those that related to the post 2007 police reform process.

Having understood how the post 2007 reform agenda was constructed, analysed the implementation processes involved and demonstrated the interrelationship between power-sharing politics and security sector reform process in Kenya, it was then necessary to state the thesis contribution to knowledge. Chapter seven fulfils this strategy by summarising the findings of the substantive research chapters against the

namely; police accountability, professionalism, operational and administrative reforms, and institutional policy and legislative reforms.

primary research question and reviewed literature. This is concluded by recommendations of areas for further research.