Influence of Ethnic Conflicts on Occupational Structure among Households in Tana Delta Sub-County, Tana River County, Kenya

Abstract

Globally ethnic conflicts are a familiar scene with 1.5 billion people living in conflict-affected countries. Ethnic  conflicts manifest in different ways  including; ethnic killings and a lack of social cohesion. The African continent experiences 30% of the conflicts in the world, with Kenya being one of  the African countries with high conflict incidences. In 2017, 21.4% of the population experienced conflict with Tana delta, a Sub-county in Tana River  County experiencing most of the ethnic conflicts. The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of ethnic conflicts on occupational  structure in the Tana delta sub-county. The study employed a cross-sectional survey design and data was collected from the sub-county from a  sample of 120 household heads. Stratified proportionate and simple random sampling techniques were used to select the 120 participants across  the 17 locations in the subcounty. A researcher-administered semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect both qualitative and quantitative  data. Data was analysed by running both descriptive and inferential tests statistics. Descriptive tests run included percentages, means, and  frequencies were used to provide facts while a partial correlation was run to support making the inferences. This study established a partial  correlation coefficient of -.314 with p< 0.001. This indicated a moderate relationship and statistical significance between ethnic conflicts and  occupational structure. Therefore the null hypothesis that ethnic conflicts have no statistically significant influence on occupational structure in the  Tana Delta sub-county was rejected. This means ethnic conflicts influence the occupational structure of the Tana delta sub-county. In addition, the  correlation coefficient of -.314 means that, as the number of ethnic conflicts increases the occupation structure is negatively affected and vice versa.  This means with the increase in conflict incidences, the affected area cannot transition its economy from primary to manufacturing and  tertiary levels of development. These findings may be useful to peace actors in the sub-county including the county and national government, and  faith-based and non-governmental organizations in designing peace-building interventions towards an improved occupation profile.