Give me Tribe, and give me Death-The Kenyan Mantra!!!

"Give me Liberty, or give me Death" is a famous and timeless quote attributed to Patrick Henry during the American Revolutionary War against the British Empire. It is stated that the statement was so inspirational that after his speech, the crowd jumped on its feet and started shouting "To Arms! To Arms..!" The people were ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of freedom, justice, and prosperity. Today, America, though not a perfect nation, has accomplished greatness because most of its citizens still abide by this mantra.

In Kenya, we are also at war! Not against the revered British Empire, but against a more lethal and vanquishing enemy called Tribe! This enemy, who cannot be fought and defeated by swords, guns, or any kind of ordnance, has succeeded in stealing our will and desire to free ourselves from poverty, disease, and despair. This crippling enemy does not burn down our houses, steal our cattle, pillage our farms or tax our wealth. NO! This enemy attacks our national spirit, destroys our patriotism, vanquishes our self-worth, steals our destiny, and deludes us into shouting "Give me Tribe, and give me Death!"

Tribalism is manifested through our inability as a people, as a nation, to collectively value what is in our best interest. I am talking about our desire to apply tribal preference where national wisdom is needed. I am talking about the kind of tribalism that conceives apathy and robs opportunity. I am talking about diabolic tribalism, which makes us demand a Luo or a Kikuyu instead of seeking visionary and competent leadership. I am talking about retarding tribalism-that disease that makes us prefer the ills and injustices of the tribal-asylum to the luxury and prosperity of a free and thriving nation.

I am certain that every and each Kenyan wants better education, better healthcare, better security, better infrastructure, better employment, and better life-style, but when it comes to doing what it takes most of us falter. We fail to achieve what we desperately need because we are limited by archaic tribal leanings that have no place it today's world. We are driven by maddening passion when it comes to supporting and electing "one of our own" but when it comes to empowering ourselves we make excuses and point fingers.

You see, some of us would rather have a Kikuyu or a Luo in State House than have their child go to a better school. Some of us would rather dance to the tune of our tribal chief than have better industry and infrastructure in order to improve commerce and create jobs. Some of us would rather blame "those people" than employ better farming methods to improve agriculture and increase food production.

Tribalism is our disease; a Kenyan disease that cannot be fought and defeated by a growing GDP, when most Kenyans languish in crippling poverty, or by federalism/majimboism, when most Kenyans don't understand they must create wealth for themselves.

What's more tragic is that we look for tribal solutions to solve our tribal problems. Often we say that a Kikuyu or a Luo is better for Kenya because of such and such! We are so terrible in diagnosing the disease that we are forever recommending the worst medicine possible!

A friend of mine reminded me that we will never achieve the economic kingdom until we first achieve the political kingdom in Kenya. We must first fix our politics before we start building castles on the sand. Every Kenyan man and woman must first fully appreciate our tied destiny as a people of one nation.

It is foolhardy to expect lasting prosperity when most are left behind as they lack the skills and resources needed to function and succeed in a modern-economy. It is futile to create opportunity for someone who believes in corruption, nepotism, and plunder. It is a waste to create booming business only for a small minority by exploiting the majority. It is tragic to grant leadership to apathetic elitists whose sole goal is to grab power and offer demeaning service to the people.

In Kenya we are facing a deadly nemesis. But our war is not one demanding pangas, rungus, or AK47s. Our war demands our sense of self-worth as a people and our patriotism as a free nation. Our war begs the critical question-What does it mean to be Kenyan? And if we all agree that Kenya is a great nation and we must do better, then we must ask ourselves another question-Do I want tribe, or do I want justice and prosperity?

If we all choose justice and prosperity over tribe, then, we must dispel the evil of tribe from all aspects of our politics, economics, and social affairs. If we fail to see the light and choose tribe over liberty and prosperity, like we have done on many occasions, albeit we might not suffer a physical death, we will experience the worst kind. We will continue to walk the earth, a soulless nation, divided by its tribes and limited by soaring despair.

 

George Kyalo Mutua
Atlanta, GA, USA