Tribalism at centre of Kenya elections - 25 Dec 07

Tension among the many tribes isn't far from the surface as the people prepare to vote in Kenya's most closely fought presidential election.

Instead of focusing on poverty, the vote seems to boil down to the tribal affiliations of the candidates.

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News & Politics

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• Al
• Jazeera
• aljazeera
• Kenya
• election
• Mwai
• Kibaki
• Raila
• Odinga

[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.

[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?

[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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[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]

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.

[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.