English Radio Program

04 August 2008

KENYA

There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land… Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away. Hosea 4:1,3

There's a popular African saying that goes, “When two elephants fight, it's the grass that suffers.”1 Surely the actions of two men both determined to be President of Kenya have resulted in much suffering for Kenya 's people.

Why Kenya ?—one of Africa 's most stable nations. It has had one of its best economies. It has been a model of democracy. What caused the mayhem that followed the election? Tribalism? Politics? Economics? Land distribution?

An outsider looking at Kenya struggles to understand. Seeing the butchery of a thousand people, the smoldering ruins of homes, churches, businesses and farms that were built over many years by grueling struggle and toil, and the heart-wrenching displacement of 500,000 people,2 most of whom have no home to return to, one can only ask, “Why?”

Actually, the answer to all of those questions is very complex. All of these factors came together in one giant collision that caused tragic reactions wherever frustration existed. Four issues contributed to the outbreaks:

•  Inequality in land division among the 42+ tribes of Kenya that dates back to colonial days but was exacerbated in 1963 under Kenya's first president, Jomo Kenyatta.

•  Political power in Kenya equals financial power. If you want to become rich in most countries, become a businessman. If you want to become rich in Africa , become a politician. Political position, then, becomes something to be coveted, and if obtained, to be held onto at all costs. “Most Kenyans believe they would do better economically if their tribe were in power,” says journalist Edwin Okongo'o. 3

•  Inequality in economic resources among Kenyans has spawned envy and jealousy. An economy that since 2002 has moved from -1.6% annual growth to 5.5% has changed the plight of the poor very little.

•  During various times in Kenya , land-grabbing has resulted in bitterness, a sense of helplessness and outright tribal war.

When people become frustrated because they cannot get justice, they feel that revenge is their only recourse against whomever they believe to be the cause. So you have one tribal group fighting another—not only because of racial bias or prejudice but also because of injustice.

“The reasons for [our conflicts] are that peaceful means for resolving our differences have been closed down,” says Maina Kiai, chairman of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, “so people become violent and express that violence in an ethnic way because our politics is ethnic. That's very important to emphasize.” 4

Back before the days of colonialism “tribal structures served as the equivalent of the modern state,” writes Emily Wax of the Washington Post , “and people turned to their [tribe's] leaders for loans, health care and mediation in domestic disputes.” 5 In the years since 1963, when independence was granted, the Kenyan government has endeavored to meet those needs. For Kenyans, the transition from tribal governing to national governing has been anything but unproblematic. Only when the people feel they have a viable recourse to justice will trust again be established.

Resource reading: Hosea 4

1 Edwin Okong'o, Ibid.

2 F oreword

300,000 in refugee camps and perhaps another 200,000 housed with friends and relatives.

3 Edwin Okong'o, “ Kenya : Playing the Tribe Card,”

http://www.pbs.org/frontlineworld/blog/2008/01kenya­playing­t.html

4 “Kenya: Rights Activist Pushes for UN Action,” Interview of Maina Kiai with Katy Gabel, Brian Kennedy and intern Katie Wyly of AllAfrica's Washington office , allAfrica.com, http://allafrica.com/stories/200802120297.html , February 12, 2008

5 Emily Wax, Washington Post Foreign Service, September 18, 2005, A01