Effects of Political Conflict on Household Livelihood Security in Ntahangwa Commune, Bujumbura Province, Burundi

Katihabwa Augustin, Dr. Urbanus Mwinzi Ndolo, Mr. Samuel Ndiritu Wakanyua
The Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Kenya
Email: augustinkatihabwa5@gmail.com

Received December 8, 2019; Reviewed May 26, 2020; Accepted May 27, 2020

Abstract: Post-independence ethnicity conflict recurs before and after every election in Burundi. The current conflict which started in 2015 is political rather than ethnic in nature. Since the election season started, fighting leading to civil war reemerged and a number of people have been displaced, killed, injured, tortured and others have traumatic mental illnesses. Anchored on conflict theory, the study investigated the implications of political conflict on sustainable livelihoods security at
household level. It predominantly adopted mixed research design, which embraces qualitative and quantitative approaches. A sample of 102 respondents was determined through the use of multi-stage sampling technique, probability and nonprobability sampling procedures to sample target groups namely family members (parents), community leaders and the youth. Observation checklist, interviews, content analysis guide and questionnaires were the key instruments used for data collection. Themes were built as they emerged from the qualitative verbal expressions of the observation units, while quantitative data were analysed by use of the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 20. The findings revealed that intolerance in politics, leaders’ selfishness; stereotypes based on regionalism, ethnic membership and class were the main sources of discrimination in politics, which adversely affected the means of survival in different households. The study concludes that livelihoods securities (farming, employment, trade, mining, transport, education systems and culture) were negatively affected by political conflict at household level. The study suggests the following recommendations: government
authorities and other stakeholders should create peace and harmony among the community members and control social strive during elections to promote mutual co-existence and sustainable survival mechanisms of the citizens.