Askari Kanzu
JF-Expert Member
- Jan 7, 2011
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Food for thought
Tribalism a cancer that could eat Kenya to the bone
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:03 MUSA HARON Elections 2012
In Africa, tribalism and nepotism have been the main factors hindering many African countries from achieving important development milestones.
Many countries have fallen prey to this vice and consequently the results have been dreary as people turned against each other on the basis of ethnicity leading to loss of many lives.
Kenya is not an exception as the negative results of tribalism were witnessed in the 2007 post election chaos that left 1300 people dead and 600,000 internally displaced.
At the dawn of the aftermath of the violence, I was optimistic that both Kenyans and their leaders had learnt something as far as the consequences of tribalism is concerned.
Sadly, five years after the violence and before even the wounds are properly healed; tribal groupings have emerged threatening the hard gained stability of the nation.
Both the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru Association {GEMA} and the Kalenjin, Maasai, Turkana and Samburu {KAMATUSA} groupings are the true definitions of how ethnic shenanigans have taken root in the country.
The two groups camouflaging under the umbrella of protecting their own sons, who have been accused by the International Criminal Court {ICC} of bearing the greatest responsibility during the chaos, not only depict tribalism at its best but also showcase how impunity is the order of the day.
The groups are purporting to petition the ICC to suspend trials of the four suspects until after the general elections. Am wondering: Where were they to petition the Kenyan government to fully resettle the internally displaced persons who were languishing in great poverty at their makeshift camps, if truly their interests are to foster national harmony?
If the two groups really mean good for Kenyans, where were they to call for peaceful co-existence when Kenyans turned against each other in the 2007 chaos?
Where were they to petition the Government when tax payers money found its way to the pockets of the few political elites in the society as a result of massive corruption?
If justice was to be achieved on the basis of tribal connotations, am wondering if the minority groupings like the Ogiek could ever receive justice.
Kenya is a country of 42 tribes and its a complete fallacy if the dreams of a nation are housed in mere tribal groupings.
If the war on tribalism is to be won anytime soon, then Kenyans should desist from joining such tribal groupings and be at the forefront of fighting the same as they pose more harm than good to the country.
The writer is Safari Africa Radios Reforms and Advocacy Reporter
Tribalism a cancer that could eat Kenya to the bone
Wednesday, 04 April 2012 13:03 MUSA HARON Elections 2012
In Africa, tribalism and nepotism have been the main factors hindering many African countries from achieving important development milestones.
Many countries have fallen prey to this vice and consequently the results have been dreary as people turned against each other on the basis of ethnicity leading to loss of many lives.
Kenya is not an exception as the negative results of tribalism were witnessed in the 2007 post election chaos that left 1300 people dead and 600,000 internally displaced.
At the dawn of the aftermath of the violence, I was optimistic that both Kenyans and their leaders had learnt something as far as the consequences of tribalism is concerned.
Sadly, five years after the violence and before even the wounds are properly healed; tribal groupings have emerged threatening the hard gained stability of the nation.
Both the Gikuyu, Embu and Meru Association {GEMA} and the Kalenjin, Maasai, Turkana and Samburu {KAMATUSA} groupings are the true definitions of how ethnic shenanigans have taken root in the country.
The two groups camouflaging under the umbrella of protecting their own sons, who have been accused by the International Criminal Court {ICC} of bearing the greatest responsibility during the chaos, not only depict tribalism at its best but also showcase how impunity is the order of the day.
The groups are purporting to petition the ICC to suspend trials of the four suspects until after the general elections. Am wondering: Where were they to petition the Kenyan government to fully resettle the internally displaced persons who were languishing in great poverty at their makeshift camps, if truly their interests are to foster national harmony?
If the two groups really mean good for Kenyans, where were they to call for peaceful co-existence when Kenyans turned against each other in the 2007 chaos?
Where were they to petition the Government when tax payers money found its way to the pockets of the few political elites in the society as a result of massive corruption?
If justice was to be achieved on the basis of tribal connotations, am wondering if the minority groupings like the Ogiek could ever receive justice.
Kenya is a country of 42 tribes and its a complete fallacy if the dreams of a nation are housed in mere tribal groupings.
If the war on tribalism is to be won anytime soon, then Kenyans should desist from joining such tribal groupings and be at the forefront of fighting the same as they pose more harm than good to the country.
The writer is Safari Africa Radios Reforms and Advocacy Reporter
