Healing the Nation through Making the Best Out Of Our Rich Ethnic Diversity

By Mwangi Wanjumbi- Newtimes BS Chief Strategist, Trainer & Researcher

In this blog site (now receiving more than 10,000 visitors daily), as well as our communication training programs, I have passionately pleaded with Kenyans to totally ignore negative ethnicity. The same as always demonstrated is a tool prominently employed by our politicians for the sole purpose of dividing and ruling this great nation.

Apparently, the word tribalism had for about 5 years, taken a forced break (until during the recent electioneering process). This had happened courtesy of the ‘mseto’ (coalition) government. The latter had largely accommodated political leaders from all our ethnic communities, especially in the executive line up.

This was both good and bad depending on how each of us perceived it. Indeed, this mseto arrangement could only last for so long. In any case, the same was largely inhibiting speedy decision making particularly due to elaborate consultations, which may not always have been necessary.

In the place of this alignment, we have now witnessed the forceful comeback of official opposition politics. Whether the same will this time be good for the country remains to be seen. All the same, we will be able to compare notes 5 years from now.

Meanwhile, the electioneering process will no doubt, be remembered for seemingly bringing back vicious ethnic animosity. Somehow, Mzalendo Kibunjia’s threats (and most likely the watchful eyes of The Hague Court) had managed to contain this animosity, especially the one propelled through the mainstream media. Not many Kenyans including politicians were willing to risk being hurled into courts of law, to answer charges related to hate speech.

However, the vibrant social media presented unlimited space for spewing ethnic venom, from its numerous chauvinists. They had and still have their field days through facebook, twitter, blog sites and such other internet oriented mediums. Many people were attacked and killed online by their sworn enemies. It was not uncommon to witness acquisition of print media advertisement space, only for clarifying that one is alive and well.

Perhaps, it is after the end of electioneering that the phenomenon took a more serious turn. No side seemed to camouflage the dislike for the other. The same extended to offices and many other forums. Actually, there is likelihood of prolonged negative ethnicity oriented cold war that could extend to the workplace, and other inescapable multi-ethnic situations. Politics aside, can such a state positively contribute to unity of purpose and national direction?

Actually, it is doubtful. But, whatever the case, these state of affairs need to be arrested for the good of each of us and our nation too. However, there is doubt whether gagging people from spewing ethnic oriented venom will be fully effective. In my view that is based on personal experiences with training delegates, educating Kenyans on ethnicity matters could be the more appropriate path.

Realistically, we are all the same whatever our ethnic or racial background. Our physiological and biological systems are the same, as I have always maintained. Even more is that we experience the same life challenges, whatever corners of the globe we are domiciled. Don’t, we experience hunger, storms, drought diseases and many other challenges the same way?

Ideally, all of us are the products of the environment in which we are born. At birth, we have nothing; we know nothing until our sensory system starts responding to the environment around us. We pick the languages spoken, the dress code, eating habits and all the behaviors and norms associated with where we were born and more appropriately nurtured. Do we ever choose where to be born?

Obviously, we don’t and should therefore never have any apologies to make about our backgrounds. Forget about the prejudices or stereotypes that we are sometimes subjected to. It is foolhardy to allow ourselves to be cowed by the same.

Ostensibly, we need to exploit those differences between us, more particularly because they make us unique. It is from the different regions that we find different resources, and mutually beneficial economic activities. Until the recent spread of fish farming, we mostly depended on fish from Lake Victoria. The people around there are renowned fishermen and women.

Wood carvings are known to be the mainstay of our brothers and sisters from Lower Eastern Kenya. Others from Central Kenya are renowned for farming and entrepreneurial skills. The latter skill enables them to see opportunities where many others may never fathom. Our brothers and sisters from Kisii land are famous for soapstone carvings.

Until recently, the Turkana country had little to offer other than nomadic life and cultural heritage oriented tourism. Now, every Kenyan would wish to have originated from this land, which will now be a key hub of newly discovered oil extraction industry.

In other words, it is in our differences that we find our unique economic activities as noted from these few examples. All of these differences combined lead to our unique value systems especially with regard to work ethics.

There is one more key fundamental that we always need to put in perspective. There are two predominant global cultures associated with the society. The individualistic culture that is synonymous with the ‘I’ concept is largely attributed to our brothers and sisters in the west. It is driven by high level of competition right from childhood, schooling and adulthood. Is it not the same concept that drives capitalism? You could be right if you had a yes for the answer.

Equally, our African communities and the Orientals are aligned to collectivism culture, which largely embraces the ‘we’ concept. Here, competition in all spheres of life is not always welcome. In fact, it is a foreign concept that found its way courtesy of well known historical perspectives, better discussed elsewhere. Collectivists largely do the same things in the same way. They are said to be harmonious or agreeable in nature. Could this be the basis of our highly entrenched copy and paste tendencies?

Nevertheless, with continued cultural evolution, collectivism seems threatened. Individualism continues to steal the show as modernity takes shape. Ironically, our communities are not experiencing these developments at the same pace. Does that explain some of the causes of highly entrenched ethnic animosity within our nation?

Most likely yes, but that could now be eventually healed by effective county leadership. The same could help deliver each and every Kenyan into the much desired modernity. Eventually, this could most probably tame the much dreaded ethnic monster. For now however, it makes more sense to exploit our differences to the advantage of each of us, as the new national dispensation finally yields the desired results. It all starts with you. Make a difference by inspiring the much desired change. Won’t you?