WHY THERE IS NO KENYA TO CELEBRATE AT 50

There was much hype and celebratory mood in a boundary called Kenya as she commemorated her 50^th birthday. Lots of activities were going on in Kenya as we moved towards the climax day of 12 December. Let me pose, what exactly were we celebrating? Just a weeks ago, some citizens of this country in the northern region were butchering one another, a war which was largely clan and ethnic based. Are these the benchmarks of Kenya at 50? Ethnicity and tribal considerations 50 years after independence is the sole parameter if not ideology which continues to define Kenya’s politics and governance structures.

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I was not around when Kenya attained self-rule and thereafter independence, but literature materials then puts it clear in black and white that Kenya was one indivisible nation whose citizens were united to defeat colonialists. A few years after independence founding fathers removed nationalism lenses and replaced them with ethnic lenses. From here onwards Kenya has never been the same, tribalism in Kenya became a strong political ideology which the ruling elite uses to cocoon poor Kenyan masses into their narrow, parochial and selfish campaigns for power. It is so painful that in Kenya one would steal and commit serious crimes but when faced head on to answer for his/her crimes, the same criminal would turn to his/her poor tribal masses for defense against justice.

Kenya’s founding president failed miserably on this front, why? He had all the time and people’s will to rally this country to become a nation just like his peer in neighborhood, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere did for Tanzania. However, Jomo suddenly realized that he was a kikuyu first before being a Kenyan and so did the leaders with him at that time. Funny though, the tribal politics then focused on enriching a few members club of the ruling class while their fellow tribal masses remained spectators of  grubbing competition from public coffers. Those considered unfriendly to the ruling elite club were eliminated through political assassinations or dismissal from public service.

When president Moi took over in1978 a year before I was born, true to his Swahili slogan “Nyayo”, he followed every bit of evil committed by his predecessor’s government to greater heights. Tribal considerations, political assassinations, corruption and mediocrity in management of public affairs were common occurrences.

In 2002 general election, Kenya had another best opportunity to galvanize her citizens as one indivisible nation. This was never to be, a gain the Kenyan cancer (tribalism) brought out its ugly head. President Kibaki and a few ruling club members around him decided to wear tribal lenses and the Kenya nation which was born a few months on December 2002 died. The events that followed onwards to 2007 elections and after the elections were painful and clear in every Kenyan’s mind.

In March 4^th 2013, Kenya held an election the first one after promulgation of the new and most progressive constitution in comparison to many constitutions around the world. Instead of Kenya and her citizens taking the chances presented by the new supreme law, to put herself on the path of playing alongside a few countries in the league of great nations.  We a gain buried our heads on the sand of ethnic affiliations. It was sad that everyone including journalists and media houses were swallowed by tribal ghost that they decided not to be objective and professional but to report news based on ethnic group and affiliation one favored, as facts were camouflaged and lies elevated loud in the national arena. When a government is put in place not by its entire citizenry but by a few tribes, no matter what they do, the other tribes who voted for the opposing side will never consider such government their own. This is exactly the merry go round Kenya will be repeating in every election, until and unless Kenyans style up and say no to barbaric and uncivilized tribal politics cherished by their tribal barons masquerading as leaders.

As I conclude, I dare say Kenya is not a nation but a boundary occupied by more than 42 ethnicities each competing for space and resources, which each ethic group considers safe in their hands, only when their tribal kingpins if not their small tribal god is the president.