Tribe? Really? In the 21st Century?

It is remarkable that despite the fact that thousands upon thousands of Kenyans have attended universities, which are by definition non-ethnic ivory towers, the adult population of Kenya is obsessively concerned about the ethnic orientation of his next-door neighbour. Of course, a university education is no guarantee that a person will not be influenced by the politician-peddled ideas of ethnic superiority or inferiority, but it helps, or should help, that universities are cosmopolitan institutions, drawing students from all communities, faiths and walks of life. However, as has been demonstrated by the manner in which our public universities are managed, especially the Big Three - Nairobi, Kenyatta and Moi - not even a professorship obtained from a foreign university is enough to staunch the iniquity of the tribal card. It is now common knowledge that Nairobi University is a bastion of Luo chauvinism, as Kenyatta University is Kikuyu and Moi University is Kalenjin. This is reflected in the manner the Vice-Chancellors administer these institutions: whom they choose to promote and whom they exile to academic Siberia.

But, it is in the public sphere where the dark cloud of ethnic division looms large. Over the past three years a narrative has been floated to the effect that 'foreigners' are buying up large swathes of Nairobi, pushing out 'locals' and thereby, presenting a looming national security risk. It is being subtly promoted in the Kamukunji by-election, with the implication that the two candidates from the Somali community are unsuited to stand for election as they are not quite right. In Nairobi, the plight of the Somalis receives no publicity; many Nairobi residents are either resigned to the blatant xenophobia against them or they are active purveyors of the lies that seek to depict Kenyan Somalis as less Kenyan than, say, Kikuyus or Luos. This is the same attitude that led the residents of Trans-Nzoia to oppose the settlement of IDPs in Endebess or the residents of Molo to reject the ones in Mau-Narok. It explains why the NCIC found that certain ethnic communities 'dominate' the ranks of the civil service while other remain marginalised. It explains why the MPs from the Turkana community feel that the Government of Kenya has abandoned them to the machetes and machine guns of marauders from across the border in Ethiopia.

Certain social institutions are not spared either. Churches have become the latest victims of this chauvinism. This was in stark display when 'bishops' led massive prayer rallies for the Ocampo Six, showing their loyalty for the man from their community. Not one of them shed a tear for or remembered the pain of the displaced or the dead. In church after church, right across the country, men of the cloth are busy preaching a subtle sectarian message, shepherding their flocks towards supporting 'their man'.

And now this poison has made its way to the internet. The number of hate-filled, ill-informed and patently tribal websites and blogs has exploded in the recent months. The consumers of this material tends to be youthful and the youth is being poisoned by the same tool that should free them from the shackles of their community or their politicians. It will be a sad day when young men and women will not be able to attend university because it is located in the 'wrong' area. If we do not change, that day will be upon us before too long.