The Janus Face of the State: The Dialectic of Sacrifice Versus Personal Gain and Electoral Conflict in Kenya (1991-2022)

Despite institutional modernization since 1991, Kenya faces persistent electoral volatility. Utilizing the "Dialectic of Sacrifice versus Personal Gain" framework and documentary analysis (1991–2022), this article interrogates this paradox. It argues that stability is undermined by two conflicting imperatives: the "Vocation of Sacrifice," requiring elites to perform moral custodianship for legitimacy, and the "Material Imperative," necessitating state capture to finance patronage. This collision transforms elections into zero-sum existential struggles where violence is a rational strategy against economic exclusion. The study demonstrates that the 2010 Constitution and devolution merely decentralized this predatory logic to county governments, creating localized conflict arenas. Furthermore, a culture of "performative legality" paralyzes enforcement mechanisms to preserve elite impunity. Ultimately, the article concludes that resolving Kenya’s recurring crisis requires decoupling political power from private accumulation.