By George Kimando
I avoid matters politics in this column, but it’s foolhardy to ignore it altogether, seeing that it affects almost every fibre of our lives, including matters faith and religion. And today i want us to reflect on a matter that is building increasing currency: politics of ethnicity in the lead up to the 2022 general elections.
I won’t claim ownership of the hustler narrative origination, but in a series of articles going back many years ago, and especially after the 2007 post election madness, i have always held the conviction that that our differences as a country were never ethnic, but socio-economic.
Kenyans are not inherently tribal, and generally love each other.
Across the socio-economic spectrums, people gather around their own, irrespective of tribe. In ceremonies and events like dowries, weddings, marriages, celebrating births, children birthdays, in mourning, sickness, worship, neighbourhood organizations, investment groups and other social interactions, we converge without much thought – if ever – of one’s ethnic background. And even when we differ, it’s just as it happens in a family.
About 40% of all documented marriages in Kenya are inter-ethnic and a rising percentage inter racial and international (between Kenyans and spouses from other nationalities). So what is this talk about Kenyans being fundamentally tribal?
Let me debunk this fallacy by reiterating a tenet i have always held true.
There is a clique of politicians whose only way of survival is playing one tribe against another, a phenomenon we have witnessed since 1963.
This cabal of power wielders and brokers simply extended the colonial divide and rule policies that enabled them to enrich themselves at the expense of national good. Then as now, religion was used as a pacifier of the masses as an elitist minority plundered the country to appalling proportions.
Over the years, these grand masters of impunity and corruption have cascaded the loot to their children, who have extended the eatery web by throwing crumbs to clueless cheerleaders and hence created a tribal buffer zone and a false sense of inclusion of tribes at the eating table.
That’s why you would find youths killing one another for their tribal chiefs who have no clue who they are, other than ‘ni mtu wetu’. It’s an outright stupid and downright silly thing to do.
It’s never about tribes, but all about social justice and economic equity. Period.
And this is the Gospel we must preach, that being of a certain tribe doesn’t make you better than the other from another tribe.
What we need are systems and structures that ensure social justice and equity for all. That our borders are safe. That we have access to quality healthcare and decent housing. That our children get a quality education. That infrastructure spurs our economic activities and drives our development agenda. That we have quality lives, and our youth won’t be spending cold nights in foreign embassies in Kenya looking for opportunities to escape the embarrassment and humiliation of living as a jobless yet educated Kenyan.
As the next year’s general election approaches, the brainless talk of ‘mtu wetu’ and our region has began to shape up, again. When that politician approaches you with that gibberish nonsense, ask him or her ‘ni mtu wetu kivipi?’ and how having the President come from your tribe or a governor from your region helps you.
We must call out the political class that comes out every five years to remind us of our ethnicity for their own selfish interests. We must remind them that they don’t eat with us after elections, that they are our employees and not our bosses.
But more importantly, we must behave like the employers we are to them, not selling our votes and consciences for a few coins and then crying for another five years against the leadership and that other tribe.
It’s unfortunate that when the world is converging into a global village, some modern day Kenyans are busy dividing the nation into regional, ethnic and even clan enclaves to safeguard their individual interests.
This must be resisted by every right thinking Kenyan, and especially those professing God and spiritual salvation in their respective religious orientation (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Traditionalism, etc).
We can’t preach one love in one God then retreat to tribal enclaves where we hate on others for not belonging to ‘us’. God is not divided, is not tribal and certainly not of class division.
Have a universal Sunday, and a great week ahead.
(Feedback to gkimando@gmail.com)
