Tribalism at centre of Kenya elections - 25 Dec 07

[planettexaspluto]

Tribalism has been there as long as Kenya has been independent.... Kenyatta bent to the forces of tribalism Civil service jobs favored his Kikuyu tribe...the best illustration of tribal tendencies was the building of international airport in Eldoret..

[pulseke]

of which only the commissioner General is appointed by the Minister of Finance. There is Maasai, a Kamba, an Embu, Kirinyaga, Meru commissioner, all appointed competitively by the Board headed by Mwangola from the coast which also inlcuded the A.G Wako, Inspector General Corporations Mr. Johnstone M. Otenyo, Senior Principal Inspector Richard E. Ndubai (Alternate to IG Corporations) and the Permanent Secretary Treasury Mr. Joseph Magari,

[pulseke]

Mr. Wanjuki Muchemi, Mr. George M. Mitine, Mr. Francis Khadudu Were, Mrs. Mildred A. Owuor, Mr. Hosea Sitienei Kipkemboi, Mr. Nathaniel Mbugua Kang'ethe, Mr. M. G. Waweru (Commissioner General) and Mrs. F. W. Ng'ang'a (Board Secretary). Outgoing Board Chairman, Mr. Benjamin Kipkulei

[pulseke]

Poor soils n rains in most parts of N. Eastern and Ukambani, frequent famine with climate change, etc have led to poverty in those areas unlike in generally central areas. The diversification of economic production in central to building rental n commercial buildings in central to accommodate the growing Nairobi population n trade have led to better standards of living in central, facts politicians will not show but lies ,,etc, just to win votes, n they peddle lies n propaganda.

[pulseke]

That is the naked truth, we alike sheep in the hands of our politicians, and kill each other at their behest!! how sad!

[pulseke]

Our Leaders divide and clump us together at will during elections, stroking our ethnic jealous's and suspisions to their advantage. We are still very backward and only time and alot of education and exposure to morden way of doing things will save us. The British did it, Isolated and demonised and brutalised the Kikuyu as all others watched and Moi perfected, isolated the Lou and Kiyuk and when he saw they 2 would gang up against him , invited Raila into government in 1998.

[wafulamu]

What is hapening in Kenya in a culmination of decades of mistrust,disparity in national resource allocation, tribal chuvenisms and the general segregation of the larger populace.the solution is not just political but the reevaluation of tribal perceptions and asipirations

[pulseke]

Your are partly correct, but the politicians always know how to take advantage of our mistrusts & ethinc prejudices for their benefit to propel them into high offices.ODM did this well & had a tribal chief for each regional tribal block to lock those tribal vote & isolate other parties from getting those votes, that added with the vemon poured against the Presidents commmunity was a sure way to try n win without basing on Development issues which were the Presidents strenths.

[pulseke]

The proximity to Nairobi, which has taken away most of the Kikuyu land n even Maasai has worked well for the industrious Kikuyu but no the pastrolists Maasai. Such facts r ignored n politcs says, its misallocation of resources, etc.Aids, n backward cultural practices such as wife inheritance, superfluous destructive burial ceremonies n fears of witchcraft have hampered development in Luo Nyanza but Politicians will not say this.

[pulseke]

Kenyans in the Diaspora have for once participated in the economy. Stringent laws have been introduced to curb corruption & several cases filled against corrupt individuals though these individuals have hired big law firms and filled petitions & appeals most of them are in ODM. He has led to the near end to land grabbing menace that was the norm in the Moi reign. University and civil servants riots are no more as their terms have been improved.

[pulseke]

Under Kibaki, Kenya was awarded the '07 UN prize:most improved public service. Railway lines & telecommunication have been liberised & greater democracy increased, a free press, Slum upgrading started in Kibera slum over 600 housing units near completion, All previously stalled government building projects for civil servants & security forces & government administration offices in the country completed. Kenya now meets 97% of its annual budget( Uganda meets 44% & Tanzania 50%).

[pulseke]

The Kikuyu are populous and very hard working and enterprising. They have settled in every part of the country and most have prospered, since most of their lands were taken by the white settlers in the pre and post colonial periods which are are now owned by large multinational companies (which grow tea, coffee, Pineapples and Golf courses) and a few whites and few former powerful ministers in previous governments.

[pulseke]

TO REMOVE KIBAKI, THE OPPOSITION KNEW VERY WELL THAT THE ONLY STRATEGY THAT WOULD RESONATE WITH KENYANS WAS TO STOKE ETHINIC JEALOUSY AND HATRED: ODM PREACHED KIKUYU HATRED AND TOOK advantage of the OLD BRITISH DIVIDE AND RULE POLICY- THAT CREATED "KIKUYU PHOBIA" in the colonial period to isolate and demonise the Kikuyu who were agitating for their lands and Kenyans freedom.

[blknx]

Kenyan politicians should be on cops.

They have robbed Kenya millions and millions of dolllars and that's why it's a power struggle. Half of Kenya lives in poverty. The resources and funds needed to develop these areas are somewhere in the Swiss bank stolen by the Kenyan leaders. It's time for change and I can't blame the people. For justice to prevail, blood must be shed. And Kenyan's Must do it and now is the time.

[tamaduni]

What do people not understand in the saying united we stand divided we fall. Issues that affect Kenyans do not choose tribes we need to come together and show walami who claim that we can not govern ourselves that we can do it. mizizi dot net

[tamaduni]

Kibaki has mostly Kikuyus in his PNU party ODM has all the other major tribes included -Kibaki wants to rule people that did not vote for him (majority of Kenyans) just bcoz you represent the largest tribe that does not mean everybody in the country. Tribal Politics will only drag us back just like the mkoloni wanted us to be when he came. God willing things will get better may be 200 years from now. As the saying goes "we learn from mistakes". This one is gonna be a long lesson.

[kimluck2]

I dissagree with anyone who will say PNU is all  Kikuyus Tuju is not,Nyachae is not so emadkay pissoff.Also Raila is not a young person so kibaki akirudi nyumbani also raila on the same boat.Where are those votes for kibaki from western province comming from?where are those for raila in central coming from,People if we have nothing to comment we should coment elsewhere not in youtube.

[bwanakeino]

People vote on tribal lines because it generally turns out better for them. You vote for a son-of --a-bitch from another tribe and your people are made destitutes. That's the bitter fact in "modern" Kenya. When there is no civic education nationwide and when "leaders" are seen as gods, what do you expect? Anyway, things will be better next century.

[PrecisionAfrikan]

Nigerian elections in April were even worse. this is neo-colonial bs. those elections won't help Kenya move an inch. Only ordinary grassroots Afrikans, farmers and workers, the unemployed and landless, united by their common plight and completely putting aside the artifices of ethnic and religious differences, only these Afrikans will make Afrika great. These suited, superficial idiots will never do anything for us. They're just trying to eat and get Bentleys.

[Darwinek]

Mohammed Adow is a great journalist.

[emadkay1]

The reporter is a kenyan; I am sure no wants to report the negative side of their country. Folks let's admit this election is a long tribal lines. Atleast, Raila's pentagon team is composed of: Mudavalidi; Luhya, Balala; Mswahili/arab,Ruto; Kelenjin,Ngilu; Kamba.

PNU, all kikuyus.

[pynats]

which part of kikuyu land do moody, nyachae and tuju come from.

enlighten me pliz coz i seem confused by your comments

[emadkay1]

Unfortunately this a true reflection of the election.

I think we need to have presidential candidates from minority tribes. Other kenyan tribes we a bit sceptical of the kikuyus; Kibaki was given the mandate to unite kenyans, but he embarked on enriching his fellow community, and on 27-12-07, it is pay back time.

[kemboy83]

not true. if you were a peasant kikuyu farmer in 2002, you're probably still a poor peasant farmer in 2007.

and if you're a peasant luo fisherman in 2007, you'll most probably still be a peasant fisherman in 2012, even if raila wins.

kibaki has not enriched kikuyus, and raila will not enrich luos. so why vote on tribal lines?

[pynats]

i totally agree with you on that. i wish someone came up wit a system to destroy all the tribal lines that r thea in kenya. and we refer to ourselves as kenyans n not kisii or luos.

am a kikuyu and my githeri diet hasnt changed because kibaki has become the president...

[pynats]

i totally disagree with. 2012 is only 5 years away. and with pple with your kind of thinking, trust me you'll throw kenya into more disarray. i pray that by 2012 you'll have changed your way of thinking.

[kemboy83]

this is not really fair or accurate. these elections are being fought on issues, not tribalism like this report claims. there are the fools on both sides who promote tribalism, but these people should be ignored, not pushed by international media as if they are the majority. kenya has matured.

[beve83]

I totally agree with your post. Yes voting on tribal lines exisits, but only because everyone thinks thats what everyone else does. With media attention like this, it only makes it worse. I agree that Kenyans want radical change and are willing to bet on someone willing to be a uniter.

[mchigubu]

AlJazeera and Youtube thank you for showing us diversified parts of Africa. You are giving voice to all, both poor and the haves! Keep educating us, we are learning a lot from your coverage! What a tragedy that elections get eroded along tribal lines. Let us hope one day Africa will unite as one, and not along tribal divisions!

[cuttyya]

when gone to get it unity