Analysis of Kantian categorical imperative’s relevance in the context of Kenyan political unrest between 1992-2022

Abstract

Following Immanuel Kant‘s philosophical argument on universal moral principles, what he calls categorical imperative, this research sought to find out whether Kenyan political unrest can be resolved by applying Immanuel Kant‘s categorical imperative. The period 1992 to 2022 was relevant because from 1992 multi-partyism was allowed back to Kenyan political spheres. The aim of the study was to critically find out possibility of the application of the Kantian imperative as a method of conflict resolution. The objectives were; to critically analyze Kant‘s universal moral principle, to examine the application of the concept of Kant‘s universal moral principle in the context of political unrest in Kenya between 1992 and 2022, and to critically analyze the challenges and limitations of applying Kant‘s universal moral principle to Kenyan political unrest between 1992 and 2022. For varying reasons, Kenya has experienced persistent political unrest between 1992 and 2022. Over that time, various solutions have been tried to resolve the unrest, however, with less or no success to deter it from happening again. With the application of Kant‘s categorical imperative into the real situations of the country‘s political unrest, such issues will be unearthed and addressed appropriately. However, this application should be with full knowledge of its challenges and limitations. The study was library based, carried out in Chuka University post graduate library. It used Kantian critical method which was used to analyze and determine the application of rational principles to an existential situation. In so doing, it exposed the errors of reason in its pursuit of metaphysical knowledge of the world. The analysis was presented using a descriptive approach qualitatively. The study contributed new and additional knowledge to the field of moral philosophy and social political philosophy, as well as to the society by way of advocating the application of Kant‘s philosophical ideas with a keen attention to its limitations and challenges to conflict resolution mechanisms. For this universe to be a habitable place for all of us, we should always aim at doing actions based on laws or maxims which we can at the same time wish that they could be applied anywhere else. Such a universalization of moral principles makes them applicable and practical in all areas of life. When people are bound by universal laws, we are assured that human rights will be respected, there will be non violence and coexistence in the universe.