What is wrong with that statement? Absolutely nothing. For us to develop as a country, we just need to shed off this deep-rooted, almost genetic attachment to tribe.
One peculiar thing about a typical Kenyan, mostly born and raised in Kenya, be it one from the rural or urban area, is hyper awareness of our tribes. Unlike our brothers and sisters from Tanzania, we have a very inherent and deep-seated curiosity to know what tribe one comes from.
Picture yourself in an SGR, seated with a very chatty person and you also happen to be chatty. For that six-hour train ride to Mombasa, I can bet a lot of money that a question will be prompted by one of you on what tribe you are from, or perhaps, where you come from. Or even maybe your accent might just sell you out. The same will happen on a long distance flight from Nairobi to wherever, and you happen to sit next to a fellow brother or sister.
Once in a foreign country, that curiosity doesn’t go away, regardless of that significant Kenyan bond or not. Once you have a hearty conversation with that fellow Kenyan you are very excited to meet, tribe or tribal innuendos have to come up somewhere. During elections, I understand, even some of those in the diaspora put on their big tribal coats, to support their tribal chiefs. In fact, I have lately learned that home and away, our inherent love for tribe perplexes people from our neighbouring countries and westerners.
Tribe is such a beautiful thing, a big blessing that one can be multilingual. My sons, for instance, have the potential of speaking four different languages: Kamba, Luhya, Kiswahili and English. Should they know an additional foreign language (besides English) then that will make it five.
This might directly mean that they can easily adapt in many towns in Kenya and globally. English is the most widely spoken language globally, and Kiswahili is the most spoken in Africa. A lot of westerners also have very high interest in Kiswahili. You see, my sons, with their own drive can make both full nationalists and globalists. And this is replicated in many Kenyan homes as intermarriage is now more common than before.
Tribe can however become such a toxic thing as I have highlighted before in this article. We should really try to do away with this bad habit. And this should start with dropping statements such as: ile duka ya mkamba, ile matatu ya yule mkisii, ule cook mluhya, or yule dame mkikuyu.
To develop and raise each other away from the tribal fangs in all sectors, more so in our public sector, we need to see ourselves as Kenyans first. This can be emphasised in schools through the curriculum. Both home and away, I wish we can have that oneness that is only felt when Omanyala, Kipchoge or Kipyegon are winning and raising the Kenyan flag high!
Communications researcher and scholar currently pursuing Peace and Development Work Studies in Sweden
