[media-credit name=’JAKE NAUGHTON/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]

The University of Wisconsin department of African studies and the Human Rights Initiative hosted a presentation addressing the political crisis in Kenya Wednesday.

Professor Thomas Spear of the history department and professors Michael Schatzberg and Scott Straus of the political science department were featured on the panel that presented the history and possible solutions for the situation in Kenya.

Conflict in Kenya broke out after it was discovered that last December?s prime minister elections were rigged by the incumbent Mwai Kibaki.

Kibaki?s opponent, Raila Odinga, claimed he actually won the election. The conflict after the election has left over 1000 dead and displaced another 3000.

Spear provided a brief background of ethnic and political violence in Kenya. He emphasized media ?re-tribalization of politics,? a modern phenomenon Spear said is driven by perpetuated fear and anger.

According to Spear, the conflict is more complicated than an escalation of ethnic tensions. ?By not recognizing what it is, we thereby exacerbate the vicious politics it serves,? he said.

Schatzberg discussed the importance of reaching a solution.

?The Kenyan state is the cash cow; it is a considerable political and economic prize,? Schatzberg said. ?It is something worth fighting for ? the stakes are really quite enormous.?

The other panelists agreed that part of Kenya?s conflict has stemmed from unwillingness of different political leaders to share state power.

Newspaper headlines like the International Herald Tribune have publicized concern over increasing violence in Kenya. Straus countered the concern that this escalation could result in genocide.

?It doesn?t mean we?re not likely to see a serious crisis,? Straus said. ?But I think that we can expect the violence in Kenya is going to stay relatively low level.?

According to Straus, Kenya does not have a clearly targeted victim population, in contrast to other cases of genocide. Kenyan elites also have long-term incentives in re-establishing peace, Straus added.

Panelists debated the possibility of a re-vote for the election.

Straus said he thought a re-vote would be a logical resolution to the conflict.

However, Schatzberg said this may be difficult.

?Elections cost a lot of money, and the Kenyan economy has been pretty much knocked flat by all of this,? he said.

Schatzberg added he thought it would be more likely for the next Kenyan elections to be pushed forward rather than adding a new set of elections.

UW graduate student Sarah Park said she thought Spear and Schatzberg ?did a good job of putting the conflict into historical context.?