Conference exposes widespread ethnic biases in Kenya

By Kenfrey Kiberenge

The magnitude of how deeply divided Kenyans are, played out this week at a diversity conference organised by the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC).

Interestingly, it all started at the "high table" on Monday, which was the first day of the conference, before trickling down to the plenary of ordinary Kenyans who were in attendance, and who would later be relied upon by the commission to serve as ambassadors in the hunt for the elusive integration.

Organisers had brought in leaders to report from prior meetings held in various regions on why residents felt isolated from other communities.

A participant at the conference contributes during the plenary session of the conference.

After presenters from Nairobi, Western, and Nyanza were done, South Rift and Central followed immediately with Tirop Kitur, a former commissioner with the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and Grace Wamue, a lecturer at the Kenyatta University as presenters.

Kitur made an exquisite presentation on how two peasants in South Rift – Kalenjins and Kikuyus – are involved in a conflict over land, but which the political elite largely fuels.

But when Dr Wamue made it to the podium, she recounted how together with Kitur they had enquired from one another which region each was representing.

"When I told him Central and he told me South Rift, he said ‘nitwathira (we are finished)’," said Dr Wamue, sending the audience into laughter.

Tribal animosity

The first day saw presentations by Prime Minister Raila Odinga, Chief Justice Willy Mutunga and Justice Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo, among others, who preached cohesion and the need to appreciate diverse ethnic backgrounds.

But as soon as they stepped out and the plenary was opened, a man from the Kalenjin community tore into the Prime Minister accusing him of fanning tribal animosity with his sentiments that the International Criminal Court (ICC) suspects should be arrested and locked up at The Hague.

But in a swift rejoinder, a woman hit back at the man reminding him of how certain ICC suspects chest-thumped before the hearings began and should now stop blaming the PM.

The regional presenters, too, painted a picture of a nation bleeding from negative ethnicity as well as troubling stereotypes that undermine cohesion.

The presenters were making reports from meetings in various regions from August last year, to January, this year. These provided a platform for residents to state their feelings on why Kenya has not achieved cohesion half a century after independence.

Economic marginalization

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Commissioner Alice Nderitu, Vice-Chairperson Mary Onyango, and NCIC boss Mzalendo Kibunjia after closure of the conference.

Making a report from a meeting held in Nyanza, Peter Wanyande, a commissioner with the Constitution Implementation Commission, said area residents felt they are experiencing economic marginalisation.

"People there say that there are no industries to offer job opportunities and infrastructures have been neglected," reported Prof Wanyande.

He said during the fact-finding meeting, some residents pointed out a huge presence of boda boda riders outside the hall saying that had been their main source of income.

Kitur said residents of South Rift openly wondered why there were Kikuyu names in their region such as Kiambaa, yet Kalenjin names were unheard of in Central.

Dr Wamue, representing Central (Kikuyu), dealt largely with the stereotypes.

"We are perceived to be greedy, corrupt and selfish. There is also the perception that Kikuyus like buying tuplots (land) that at times they never use," Wamue said.

She added that contrary to popular belief that everyone in Central is rich, residents feel there is extensive unemployment, which has seen many youths joining gangs like Mungiki.

"This is a group willing to sell terror services to buyers, especially politicians. As a result, some elite usually leave their homes by 5pm for fear of robberies," she said.

Holding brief for Upper Eastern (Isiolo and Marsabit), Hukka Wario, the chief executive of the National Anti-Corruption Steering Committee, said residents usually see Government as ‘alien’.

"Whenever Government officials are posted there they see this as a punishment.

They are given a hardship allowance yet the local residents do not get the allowance," said Dr Wario.

He also said residents complained that the Government had failed to tap vast local opportunities.

"Israel gets lesser rainfall but it exports food. There is a lot of water during rainy seasons that drains to the Indian Ocean instead of a dam. To the residents I say dam it or be damned!" he said.

Butchered by militia

University of Nairobi lecturer George Gona, the Coast representative, said landlessness had emerged as the major impediment to cohesion, evoking secessionist feelings.

"People have been living on pieces of land for 60 years and they have no documents.

An attempt to resolve the problem in 1980 was fruitless because officials allotted themselves land. Two families own Malindi. It is not surprising to hear a retired senior police officer saying they own a plot near the DCs’ office," said Dr Gona.

A youth recites a poem promoting cohesion.[PHOTOS: JONAH ONYANGO/MOSES OMUSULA/STANDARD]

Lower Eastern (Ukambani, Meru and Embu) representative Mary Mwiandi, a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, said the issue of ‘foreigners’ occupying land cropped up, besides youth unemployment.

North Rift representative Ekuru Aukot, a lawyer, said the people felt as outsiders, which was underlined by the line, "How is Kenya?"

He said the Turkana have often been butchered by militia gangs from Ethiopia, yet it took the kidnapping of a French woman for Kenya to send troops to Somalia to fight the Al Shabaab.

North Eastern’s Hamara Ibrahim, a sociologist and researcher, said clannism, and delay in issuance of title deeds had hampered cohesion.