Tribal politics; Is this the only type of politics Kenyan leaders know of?

Kenya has a reputation of tribalism as the main factor that politics is mainly involved in. The political punditocracy analyses politics with respect to “communities” and their voting patterns. The political leaders who are charismatic enough to command respect from members of their tribes, are the ones who get media coverage. Most “wananchi” believe that their communities and regions would only develop if, and when, they have “one of their own” at the helm of the country’s leadership.

Now, assume that tribes never existed, or that we were all members of one community, which would then be called a nation. Assume that also, the same people existed, with the very thinking, habits, levels of knowledge, experience, exposure or lack of it thereof, as it is of now, comprised the citizenry. What, would have been the main rallying call, the political card, or glue that politicians would use to psyche up their tribes against their “enemies”? Since there would be no tribes, and therefore no tribal voting blocs, what manner of voting blocs would we have?

I am pretty sure that, Kenyans, with the very kind of thinking that abounds now, with the same, habits, attitudes and composition of political leadership would never go for issue based politics. Regionalism would probably be the focal point in the absence of tribalism.

There would probably be politics of “Wabara” versus “Wapwani”, “Easterners” versus “Westerners”. Sometimes the divisions would even attract religious sentiments. We would have Christians versus Muslims or Traditionalists. Educationally, we would have “Washenzi” versus “Wasomi”. Should all that have failed, we would have politics pitting clan against clan.

Each of the groups would have their leader, just like the so-called tribal kingpins (we are yet to have tribal “queen pins”) are recognized by their tribes. This is the group of masqueraders who pretend to hate tribalism yet they ride on it to political positions. Each group, as they would have identified themselves, would demand “bendera yetu” or a share of the “national cake”. Violence and cleansing of some sort would exist just like we constantly experience post-election violence.

Why am I projecting this kind of imagination? My concern is on why politicians in Kenya fear issue based politics. I try in vain, to understand the reason why Kenyans will always approach politics in terms of we (read a particular tribe), against them (another tribe). I fail to understand why office holders, whether public or private, are viewed in terms of which tribe they come from. I also fail to understand why the office holders would want to ride on the backs of their tribes to office.

My submission is that, political (mis)leaders mislead the people into diagnosing their problems incorrectly, and then go ahead to apply the wrong remedy. Would it have made a difference perhaps, if they had led the people into asking the question, for instance, of why the poor work hard yet earn peanuts for a living?

What about if they had led them into asking why the largest percentage of the citizenry, from all tribes can barely afford quality education, quality healthcare, quality food, or decent housing for their children? Why don’t they lead the people into asking the government why such social injustice prevails? My submission is that, they won’t ask such questions. They only fancy asking questions like; why some communities appear to be favoured more than others. They have perfected the art of setting tribe against tribe. The art of sowing tribal discord, like they did in 2007. The blood of the poor and innocent carried them like a flood to political positions.

Someone once said that politics is the art of getting votes from the poor, and resources from the rich, while promising to protect each from the other.Most of the politicians being eduacted, know very well that what they are doing is not right. Nevertheless, they do it for their own political survival. I wonder if the people who are being misled know as the politicians know.

It is either that the politicians are too smart, or the people, are too stupid or, to be less harsh, asleep. Are Kenyans really stupid? Are you? I don't think so.