When diversity is turned into a weapon

2010 Constitution dummy on fire along Moi Avenue, Nairobi, during anti-Finance Bill protests on June 25, 2024. [Collins Kweyu, Standard]

Diversity, at its most basic, is the presence of difference within any given environment: difference in age, colour, ethnicity, gender, ability, culture, belief, etc. It is what makes communities rich, resilient, and vibrant. Yet across Africa today, diversity is being turned into a weapon of hatred, exclusion, and violence. From Durban to Accra and to Nairobi, there is a concern of Africans turning against Africans, and Kenyans turning against Kenyans.

These cases are not isolated. They reflect a worrying evolution in how identity-based conflict is playing out in our region, thus demanding more than condemnation. They require a rethink of our approaches.