“Erections”: Festive Rioting and Creative Disrespect in Post-Election Protests in Kibera, an Informal Settlement in Nairobi

Abstract

The article presents two case studies—the 2017 and 2022 elections and subsequent post-election protests in Kibera, one of the largest informal settlements in Nairobi. Diverging from the dominant narratives surrounding urban protests in sub-Saharan Africa, which often concentrates on structural causes, security issues, and violent aspects categorising these events as riots, this paper offers an alternative perspective. It provides an in-depth analysis of the protests within a broader socio-cultural context, highlighting the role of humour and playfulness, thereby pointing out elements of resistance existing beyond the traditionally recognised forms of protesting. Drawing on Mikhail Bakhtin's theory of carnival, the study interprets the elections in Kibera as a festival, challenging the established hierarchies in Nairobi through its grotesque character. The festival thus represents an integral part of the culture of the postcolony, where people from the lower strata of society mock and ridicule the officialdom of the postcolonial state.