The Effect of Small Arms and Light Weapons on the Ethnic Conflicts in Kenya: A Case Study of the North Rift

Abstract:

The findings of the study comprised the following; the sources of SALWs in the North Rift were neighboring countries especially Uganda, Sudan and Ethiopia; The illegal arm traders and security personnel also provide fire arms to the communities; the demand for SALWs is driven by need for self­ defense, intention to attack other armed communities and cattle rustling; the causes of ethnic conflicts are competition for resources and lack of state security; the SALWs have contributed in the changing nature of ethnic conflict from localized and cultural based dispute to large scale conflicts that are characterized by mass killings.