MaxShimba
JF-Expert Member
- Apr 11, 2008
- 35,772
- 4,054
Why a million Kikuyus may vote for Raila
HUNTING FOR VOTES: Raila has taken his case directly to the Mt Kenyan electorate. In recent months and weeks, he has ventured deep into Kikuyu country as well as into Meru, in Eastern Province, explicitly seeking the Mt Kenya vote.
Kibaki's departure will free two sets of voters: The people of Othaya - who have voted him back to Parliament since 1974 - and the entire Central Kenya vote bloc.
One of the most intractable but least scientific certainties of Kenyan politics holds that the Kikuyu, Kenya's biggest community in terms of population numbers, are congenitally incapable of voting for candidates from other ethnic communities at Presidential elections.
The history of Kenyan Independence era electioneering, now almost half-a-century old, is cited by both experts and laymen as proof positive that the Kikuyu are Kenya's most insular, and therefore selfish, tribe.
Among political wags of all tribes, including some Kikuyu, the community is viewed as being genetically and culturally indisposed to being led or governed by others. And this is reckoned to be whether the historical context is pre-Scramble-for-Africa, Kenya Colony or the Republic.
Read more »
HUNTING FOR VOTES: Raila has taken his case directly to the Mt Kenyan electorate. In recent months and weeks, he has ventured deep into Kikuyu country as well as into Meru, in Eastern Province, explicitly seeking the Mt Kenya vote.
Kibaki's departure will free two sets of voters: The people of Othaya - who have voted him back to Parliament since 1974 - and the entire Central Kenya vote bloc.
One of the most intractable but least scientific certainties of Kenyan politics holds that the Kikuyu, Kenya's biggest community in terms of population numbers, are congenitally incapable of voting for candidates from other ethnic communities at Presidential elections.
The history of Kenyan Independence era electioneering, now almost half-a-century old, is cited by both experts and laymen as proof positive that the Kikuyu are Kenya's most insular, and therefore selfish, tribe.
Among political wags of all tribes, including some Kikuyu, the community is viewed as being genetically and culturally indisposed to being led or governed by others. And this is reckoned to be whether the historical context is pre-Scramble-for-Africa, Kenya Colony or the Republic.
Read more »
