Pursue tribalism to its logical end

Pursue tribalism to its logical end

I was inspired by Andrew Kipkemboi’s well-written opinion piece in The Standard of March 24 titled ‘Voter listing says a lot about you’.

Political economy teaches us that it is not tribalism; rather it is the relation of production and the resulting class structure, which is the bane of our politics. Let us talk tribalism (or ethnicity, for those of you find the former term loaded) and provide a perspective we are often too shy to discuss in public.

Ever since nationalism was used as a clarion call to unite Africans to overthrow the British — who had ‘tribalised’ us to suit their ideology of divide and rule, being branded a tribalist paints one in a very negative light.

It brings to mind some ‘backward’ and ‘uncouth’ being better not allowed into ‘polite society’. Yet majority of Kenyans are tribal in their world-view. This is why writers can give us an analysis of how the three Ks of the Kalenjin, Kikuyu and Kamba are a sure election winner, before reverting to attack tribalism the next day.

We all vilify tribalism until when it really matters, at which point we return to our tribes. When the national cake is being divided, even the most urbane of us will often wonder why ‘our people’ are being discriminated against.

Political success

Political realism dictates that for one to succeed politically, one always has to fall back on the tribe. Let us stop pretending that it is our politicians who fan tribalism. They are not a naive lot. If they woke up tomorrow to find that tribalism is not a vote winner, none of them would talk tribalism.

Politicians’ first responsibility is to know what makes their constituents tick. You win votes by telling your constituents that ‘it is now our turn to eat because such and such a tribe has eaten enough for the last half-century’.

Let me state that my voting pattern was parochial and tribal. My first cousin wanted to be a councillor, so I voted for him. A village-mate asked us to re-elect him to Parliament and I obliged.

A fellow tribesman who was speaking a language I understand, and was as good as if not better than the other candidates, wanted to be President so I voted for him. Unfortunately, all my choices were ‘rigged out’ by people from other clans, locations, races and tribes.

Bitter quarrel

Let us face it: if your brother stands for election, and unless you have recently had a bitter quarrel with him, would you vote for somebody else? I would not, especially when I remember that the alternative person would give available jobs to his relatives and tribesmen.

This is why I have come to the following unpopular conclusion: Let us pursue tribalism to its logical conclusion for us to have a meaningful future.

Kenya may be a unitary state on paper, but in reality it consists of haphazardly put together sub-nationalities. I have a sneaky feeling that unless the Proposed Constitution explicitly recognises the tribe and proceeds to set up appropriate institutions accordingly, in the medium-term, it will prove to be an expensive waste of time.

Our forty-plus tribes provide us with a guide on how the number of counties, senators, MPs, fat Government jobs and tenders can be shared out. Thereafter, we can debate about Kadhi’s courts and abortion to our hearts content.

{Enoch Okwach, Kisumu}