| dc.description.abstract | The pursuit of national integration in Kenya remains a vital yet elusive goal. While political
parties serve as crucial agents of democratic representation, their specific impact on fostering
national unity requires empirical investigation. The main purpose of this study was to assess
the influence of political parties on the process of national integration in Nairobi City County,
Kenya. This study assessed the influence of selected political parties on national integration in
Nairobi County, guided by four specific objectives: to evaluate the effectiveness of campaign
strategies in promoting national integration, assess the impact of media platforms on fostering
unity, determine how leadership structures contribute to integration efforts, and measure the
extent of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties' (ORPP) effectiveness in enhancing
compliance with integration mandates. Employing Integration Theory as a theoretical
framework, the study utilisedd a descriptive research design with a mixed-methods approach.
Using Yamane's formula with a 6% margin of error, 278 registered members from three
strategically selected political parties—United Democratic Alliance (UDA), Orange
Democratic Movement (ODM), and Jubilee Party (JP)—were sampled through stratified
random sampling across Nairobi's 17 constituencies. Data collection combined questionnaires
for party members with interviews of 11 key political leaders, including the Registrar of
Political Parties and party officials. The study revealed that political parties have a significant
influence on national integration, although this influence is often negative. Key findings
showed that political parties' campaign strategies prioritized ethnic mobilization over national
unity (65.4% of respondents agreeing), media engagement by parties contributed to ethnic
polarization rather than cohesion (61.7% agreement), and internal leadership structures failed
to support integration efforts, with 62% agreeing that internal conflicts hindered unity
promotion. Additionally, the study revealed that 58.4% of respondents disagreed that parties
adequately represent all ethnic groups, while 59.2% felt that election campaigns failed to focus
on unifying issues. Furthermore, 56.3% of participants expressed scepticism about parties'
overall effectiveness in promoting national unity, and 54% disagreed that party policy agendas
consider the interests of all Kenyan communities. The research also found that 53.5% of
respondents doubted that party manifestos meaningfully address national integration issues.
Political parties in Kenya significantly hinder national integration through ethnic-focused
campaign strategies, polarizing media engagement, and non-inclusive leadership structures.
While some youth programs show promise, widespread public skepticism reflects parties'
failure to promote unity. Strengthened regulatory enforcement and genuine commitment to
inclusive governance are essential for meaningful integration. Based on these findings, the
study recommends that political parties develop truly inclusive manifestos that transcend ethnic
boundaries, establish mandatory for leadership positions, and implement comprehensive
conflict resolution mechanisms to address internal divisions. The study further recommends
that parties invest in responsible media engagement strategies that promote inter-ethnic
dialogue, create cross-community youth leadership programs, and collaborate with civil society
organizations to build trust and credibility. Additionally, the Office of the Registrar of Political
Parties (ORPP) should strengthen regulatory enforcement to ensure compliance with national
integration mandatesse transparency in policy implementation and establish measurable
indicators for assessing their progress. Meanwhile, parties should prioritise transparency in
policy implementation and establish measurable indicators to assess their contribution to
national unity | en_US |
