The Perilous Dance: Why Tribal Politics Threatens Kenya's Future

 The Perilous Dance: Why Tribal Politics Threatens Kenya's Future

Kenya, a nation of vibrant cultures and diverse peoples, has long grappled with a shadow that threatens to undermine its democratic fabric: the politics of tribalism. While our diversity should be a source of strength and richness, it has too often been weaponized by politicians, leading to division, mistrust, and even violence. It's a dangerous game that must be called out and condemned in the strongest terms.

                                                                          Internally Displaced Persons-Victims of 07/08 post-election violence

We've seen this playbook before. In 2007, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) unveiled its "Pentagon" – a constellation of influential figures, each ostensibly vying for the presidency. While presented as a democratic contest, it effectively became a strategic assembly of "tribal chiefs": William Ruto for the Kalenjin, Musalia Mudavadi for the Luhya, Najib Balala for the Coast, and Charity Ngilu for the Kamba, all ostensibly rallying behind Raila Odinga. The genius, and tragedy, of this approach was its efficiency in mobilizing along ethnic lines. Each community was made to feel they had a direct stake in the coalition, and a common "enemy" was identified in the Kikuyu, leading to the chillingly effective "40 against 1" mantra. The culmination of this tribal mobilization, as we tragically know, was the post-election violence of 2007-2008 – a scar on our nation's history.

Even a lecture given by Raila Odinga at Philadelphia University, titled "The Role of Ethnicity in Kenya's Politics," while perhaps intended as an academic exploration, inadvertently lent more credence to the narrative that ethnicity is a central, and perhaps even acceptable, pillar of our political discourse.

While subsequent campaigns after 2007-2008 have, thankfully, toned down the overt tribal mobilization – or at least made it less glaring – the underlying currents often remain. In 2022, William Ruto introduced a new dimension: class warfare, pitting "hustlers" against "dynasties." While this shifted the focus from purely ethnic lines, it also had its downsides, as evidenced by incidents like bodaboda riders harassing motorists, highlighting the potential for any divisive rhetoric to incite negative actions.

Today, we are witnessing a disconcerting resurgence of blatant tribalism, particularly from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. It appears he is openly adopting the 2007 Raila Odinga playbook, albeit with a startling lack of guardrails. Listening to his speeches, one is struck by the absence of ideology, ethics, or even a veneer of national unity. Instead, what emerges is pure mediocrity and a blatant appeal to ethnic emotions. His tours, such as those in Ukambani, are reportedly marked by glaring tribal rhetoric. And when he addresses his home turf in Mount Kenya, or "murima" as he fondly calls it, he preaches pure ethnicity, seemingly oblivious to the dangerous portents of such behaviour.

This is a path we have trodden before, and it led to immense suffering. We cannot, and must not, allow our political discourse to devolve into a mere competition of ethnic emotions. Our leaders have a profound responsibility to unite the nation, not divide it. We must demand a competition of ideas, not a contest of tribal loyalties.

It is time for all Kenyans – citizens, civil society, religious leaders, and the media – to collectively call out and condemn this behavior in the strongest possible terms. Our future, our stability, and our progress depend on our ability to rise above the politics of tribalism and embrace a truly unified Kenyan identity. Let us build a nation where merit, ideas, and national interest, not tribal affiliations, determine our leadership and our destiny.

 

Ndungata