Misrule, Corruption and not Tribalism, will Destroy Kenya
Some people point at
how Kenyans vote and exclaim behold this is the most tribalistic country on
earth! It is a falsity. Go and observe how those from Wales and those from
Scotland and those from Ireland vote. Why then is the UK not considered the
most or at least one of the most – tribal country? If it is about tribal
conflicts and wars; we have seen them all over the world, for instance, in Spain
and in Belgium and in Canada and in Eastern Europe and many other parts of the
world. These are not unique to Kenya or Africa for that matter. We cannot therefore
conclude that Kenya’s only or biggest problem is tribalism and negative ethnicity
just because we have had a handful of violent conflicts especially between the
Kikuyu and Kalenjin communities of this country. The Luo and Kikuyu community
may have had a long running political rivalry but we have not seen them kill
one another en masse. It is just ideological difference which should be allowed
to thrive, after all, is that not what partisan politics is all about? What is
wrong with the Luos and Kikuyus belonging to different political persuasions? That
difference cannot destroy Kenya; it will only help Kenya grow democratically.
Kenya’s major problem
is not tribalism, perhaps if it was; this country should have already
disappeared like the former Yugoslavia. Kenya is not as ethnically polarized as
many countries of this world. The sheer fact that Kenya is still here and that
somehow there is relative peace (at least in the manner of absence of overt violence),
even with all the social ills witnessed over the years, point at very high
levels of ethnic tolerance in this country. I do not think Kenya is going to
succumb to the social differences and ills crafted around tribes and ethnicities
but surely this country may collapse under the weight of corruption and misrule.
The trouble with Kenya
is corruption. The problem of Kenya is misrule, state capture, mismanagement,
lack of or poor leadership, bad or / and lack of governance. These mafia who
have taken this country hostage are political elites who are drawn from almost
all major ethnic groups; they have run down the economy, looted public
resources, mismanaged national resources, criminalized the state and continue to
engage in state banditsm that has not only derailed formation of the nation but
also one that threatens the very existence of this country. This group has organized
themselves into cartels whose sole competition is crafted around how much public
resources they can loot. Impunity is their other name because they have
captured the state; they have taken hostage all the arms of government and they
are toying with the people of Kenya. They steal, trade in ivory and animal
products, peddle drugs, smuggle goods, rustle cattle, engage in organized trans-border
crimes, commit war crimes and crimes against humanity, kill and engage in
terrorism. They do all these and go untouched. They then run back to their so
called communities and appeal to emotions through sensationalized slogans for
tribal protection. But at the opportune moment, they kill and maim and rape the
same members of their ethnic groups at will and for their own good.
The trouble with Kenya
is not tribalism and negative ethnicity; the trouble with Kenya is this group
of political elites organized into cartels and mafias, engaging in warlike
activities that threaten to tear this country apart. The trouble with Kenya is
the sheer lack of leadership to save this country from the jaws of these
cartels and mafias. They have gang-raped our country and left it for death;
they bask in the glory of their amassed wealth which they have stolen from the poor
people of Kenya drawn from all tribes. This people, and not tribalism, will surely
kill Kenya; the level of corruption witnessed in this country, and not so
called negative ethnicity, will destroy Kenya.
Next time they tell you
anything about tribalism and negative ethnicity, kindly remind them that we
have two ethnic groups in Kenya – those who eat the meat and those who salivate.
I am told that until such a time when the rich (who
have obviously amassed their wealth through corrupt means) will have finished
eating what belongs to the poor (millions of Kenyans from all ethnic
communities in the republic), will the poor start eating the rich – who are
the political elite (cartels and mafias) drawn from most if not all the tribes
in this country.
Misrule, Corruption and not Tribalism, will Destroy Kenya
Reviewed by Ibrahim Magara
on
February 13, 2017
Rating:

No comments: