During the recent LGBTQ debate, I heard a pastor say that LGBTQ is very un-Kenyan. The comment made me wonder what it really means to be a Kenyan. What binds us together?
I did a non-scientific social media poll and asked people what brings us together as Kenyans. The answers I got were – love for ugali, loyalty to tribe, homophobia, community welfare such as Harambees, and tolerance for corruption.
Given our loyalty to tribe before country and lack of a national glue, our politics then becomes a tribal calculus. There are no ideological or philosophical contestations. Elections are regional and tribal contests, leading to regional/tribal wins and losses, which usually lead to instability.
We need to relook at the structure of our national governance and create a more inclusive structure; that is the only way I see a more stable republic. Otherwise, every election will be a tribal calculus, and those left out will keep the republic unstable.
Development requires decades of uninterrupted economic growth; that is how the Asian tigers moved millions out of poverty and became developed countries. Yet in Kenya, one can only plan in 4 to 5-year cycles, knowing that there will be instability every 5 years.
Read: Vibrant Capital Markets Are An Important Cog For Economic Growth
We should not be resolving issues on the streets as is currently the case; it’s disruptive to our way of life. Stress levels and anxiety are already high given the tough economic and geopolitical times we are living in; resolving matters on the streets can only make our lives worse.
It’s time for moderate Kenyans of goodwill to discuss and find a lasting formula for a more stable republic if we are to move millions out of poverty.
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