Balance of power: East African Region

The polish half of the nineteenth century saw approximately of the African countries gaining governmental independence. However, their united voice in the fight against colonialists seemed to last only for as long as the colonial sources was still in charge of the continents policy-making affairs. In east Africa, the three major compositionners Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda adopted differing policies in toll of territory, public coronations strategies and political show upes. The policies symbolized the emergence of divergent post-independence topic approaches.The result was from each one(prenominal)(prenominal) nation taking different paths aimed at promoting its authorization regionally. However, not all the strategies were intended to result into taking of differing directions by the nations besides rather some had unintended consequences. This paper will look at the east struggled African regions counterpoise of designer strategies and political science as from 1970s to the modern day. The easternmost Africa region emerging from years of war, civil dissension and violence currently offers fresh grounds for interplay of occasion games and intrigues. Each country is increasely seeking to assert its position as the regions skill.This is unlike other world regions where business leader intrigues energize reached climax and germane(predicate) alliances formed against or for in a bid secure the applicable states positions. For instance, in the United States region the U. S has asserted its authority and countries in fear of it live with had to positively align themselves and the resentful ones like Cuba have undertaken a negative alignment. However, the question as to who wields the place relief in their favor is no longer an issue. The same cannot be said of the East African region.The region is currently in a race for minerals exploration and policy formulation aimed at consolidating each nations position. flat as its nations head towards an scotch integration, they cannot help but treat each other with caution and more than so Kenya which is considered economically advantaged. This makes it a full ground for analysis of the forcefulness issues. The East African region has seen comforting and profoundly unmistakable changes in terms of strategic frameworks. These transformations dating keystone to the colonial days have had the effect of shaping up the power balance in the region.The almost profound transformation aimed at balance of power was the fall of the East African Community in 1977. This was a result of each nations diverse approach to unify its positions of strength in the region. Kenya app atomic number 18ntly base on its economic strength demanded to be awarded more seats in the regions decisions making organs, Idi Amin adopted authoritarianism and elaborationist ideas that threatened the regions stability and balance, season Tanzania undertook a more left approach unlike Kenyas capita list.Ugandas Idi Amin was a good deal viewed as militant as he not only ruled dictatorially, but overly made attempts at expanding his regional power militantly. For instance, is his 1978 attempt at annexing part of northern Tanzania formally Kagera. The result was constant tension between the states. Tanzania on the other hand often viewed Kenya as existence an economic predaceous nation more so regarding its material and human resources and hence embarked on policies aimed at locking out its population from taking over the countries investment opportunities and professional market.Generally, they embarked on protectionist policies against a nation they believed had the potential of sucking up its market and in one instance considered joining the Southern frugal Block. Kenya on the other hand, contrary to its neighbors disregarded the idealistic socialistic ward off then that would have had severe economic, social as well political consequences given its years of British link age. In balancing its position, Kenya opted to adopt a wait and see policy in positioning itself on internationalist issues.In general, Kenya opted to take non-aligned positions that would neither peach it alongside the west or the Easts rivalry at the time. Basically, the Kenyan policies aimed at protection of its virtue territorially, securing its economic as well as political structures but most importantly sustain its unique East African economic status. Kenya as a country has had to reckon with the challenges faced by its neighbors that have continuously threatened its economic stability in the region.The death of president, Kenyatta in 1978 came at a time when the Somalia- Ethiopian war was still on, Uganda was making attempts at annexing Kagera ara of Tanzania. The then vice president, then took over powered and tell Nyayoism often translated to mean following in the footsteps of the preceding president Kenyatta. undecomposed like his predecessor, Moi adopted a neutral approach towards its neighbors conflicts and in stead focused on consolidating the countries position of power in the region. The re-emergence of the East African Union saw Rwanda and Burundi join the bandwagon.While Somalia, Ethiopia and Sudan are not part of the East African Union, they have often been considered as part of East Africa geographically. Consequently their activities have an effect on the political balance in the region. The race for a balance of power has and so increased in the recent recent with Kenya dominance increasingly macrocosm threatened. Rwanda emerging from a gristly genocide has in the recent past embarked on policies that are attractive to the investors hence its recent ranking as having the best rate of project execution in East Africa and the atomic number 82 regions investment destination.Its IT system is only rivaled by Kenyas. Worth mentioning are in like manner its new airports and radar systems bearing high sophistication. This advancement h as often been cited as threatening to Kenyas position as the economic hub in the region. Ethiopias infrastructural expansion has also been cited as meant to challenge Kenyas position in the region. However, in reaction to this Kenya has currently embarked on a massive infrastructural expansion with roads beingness built more significantly in capital of Kenya and its environs.Kenya is also undertaking enormous expansion of its main airport while the Kisumu airport is undergoing upgrading to an international status. While Tanzania has been unable to do much with its mineral rich resources to strengthen its position of power in the region, the same cannot be said about Uganda which has re-emerged strongly from monocracy under Idi Amin. Its recent striking of embrocate has seen Kenya vehemently embarking on the search of the same in a bid to ensure that it is not overtaken by Uganda.Additionally, Uganda has often been viewed as being militant and bearing expansionist ideals with its recent attempts being the attempts to acquire Migingo islands which allegedly belong to its neighbor, Kenya. Analysts have been quick to argue that this could be attempts by Uganda to running play Kenyas ability to respond to external threat. However, Kenyas diplomatic approach to issues still leaves its neighbors wondering its standing militarily though bearing in mind that it probably still holds the regions military as well as economic power.However, the recent striking of huge uranium deposits by Tanzania is in addition making the race for position of power in the region more complicated. The general summary of all these boils down to a race fro the regions economic leadership which is often accompanied by military leadership. Probably the actualisation of the common market has even catalyzed the race more as each country sees prospects of expanded markets for its produce. However, the milestone made by Kenya is still nonpareil and the expansion of the market would probably see professional services exportation from it.This is a position that all indications show that Kenya is not yet ensnare to relinquish as witnessed by its heavy investment in oil exploration as well as other minerals. Recent reports imply that Kenya has struck uranium too and is likewise close to striking oil. In terms of policies, the East African countries have often treated each other with caution more especially the other countries viewing of Kenya which has often been cited as being at an economic point of advantage. This has seen various regions countries employing protectionist policies against Kenyans who are considered aggressive economically.Kenya has also embarked on key foreign relation aimed at securing its positions against the external threats from countries like Somalia which are constantly posing the threat by Al shaabab and piracy which has greatly affected the regions trade. Piracy has led to the Kenyan government having to review its policy on money laundering which could negatively affect the economy. This is due to the belief that the money collected in terms of Ransom is being laundered to the Kenyan market. This has arisen from the recent large unaccounted for balances announced by the Central Bank of Kenya.In conclusion its worth mentioning that despite Kenyas dominance in the region, its position is increasingly being threatened as most of the regional players attempt to shift the balance of power in their favor. The region however, remains under siege more so regarding the increasing violence in Somalia, and Sudan. Some analysts have argued that the race for economic power in the region could live it far ahead of other regions in Africa in the near future. Paper break down This paper considers the East African geographical region in respect the period forthwith after independence, early 1970s to the modern period.Its appropriateness for study is based on the fact that it is currently re-emerging from a period of wars, civil strif e and other forms of unrest that rocked it immediately after independence. These include the Ugandas dictatorship under Idi Amin, Ethiopia and Somali wars, civil strife in Sudan and most memorable Rwandan Genocide. Out of this has come the increased realization of the regions potential and hence a race for economic power position to outdo Kenya which has remained relatively relieve save for the recent 2008 post-election violence.The region that has lot of current power plays to offer. The regions balance of power dynamics is depicted b the power balance plays as a result of the regions volatility and the diverse nature of policies outlined by individual states to consolidate their positions within the region. the countries in the region themselves face power shift dynamics either as a result of war or politics some thing that makes the region unique and feature two level of power balance dynamics namely regional and national level dynamics.The proposed hypothesis then can revolve approximately whether or not power parity can be a recipe for peace in the region which more effort being shifted towards attaining power equilibrium rather that engagement in conflicts. However, the balance of power may be threatened by the interstate protectionist views held by the component states towards each other and more so those considered economically strong. The paper and so takes an overall look into the region as an emerging field for power play in search of economic superiority citing various statesmen and women who have had a role in the situation.Works Cited Aluanga, L. The trouble with Kenyan Boarders The East African Standard, 10/05/2009, 12 Onyango, C. O. Race to unseat Kenya from regions leadership, The East African 40(5) 201016, Oyugi, O. W. (2004) governing and administration in East Africa, Nairobi East African educational Publishers, 2004, 313-319 Potholm, C. P. & Fredland, R. A. Integration and disintegration in East Africa Washington, D. C. University P ress of America, 1980 Segal, A. The politics of land in East Africa, Comparative Series, East African Journal, 1(287) 20071-22