Today I will sound and appear tribalistic depending on which side of coin you criticise me from.
I hail from a minority tribe called Meru but at the national cake-sharing table my tribe is lumped up together with Kikuyu tribe.
Take the case of this Meru lady who is about to be appointed the next Chief Justice.
I listened with awe as a certain rabid commentator on TV explained how another Kikuyu is about to take up a pole position in the government.
I felt pity for the gentleman in the same way i did for the moderator, whose knowledge about tribes was limited.
Why minority tribes such as mine, Embu and Kirinyaga are considered Kikuyu by other minority tribes in this country is strange to say the least.
It would create an intercine conflict if the Tesos and Turkanas who for those unaware share language and other characteristics are lumped together when appointments or resources allocation is being done.
The same could apply in the case of Kamba and Meru, Kamba and Kikuyu as well as other tribes with shared similarities.
The Kikuyu are the biggest tribe in terms of numbers in Kenya.
On the equity platform, it would be unfair to deny Kikuyus their share of appointments for no other reason apart from being more than other tribes in Kenya.
This unfortunately is what hardcore tribal chauvinists want Kenyans to buy.
In order to sell their tribalware, these tribalists from minority tribes hide facts and erroneously associate fellow minority tribes with the object of their hatred and bashing.
Like in the case of Justice Martha Koome, there is nothing irritating to a Meru than when such tribalists criticise her impending appointment on allegations she is another Kikuyu.
God forbid if this is the general naivety of minority tribes in this country.
This is why there is a simmeling narrative to the effect that for the majority tribe to exercise fairness, it must deny itself for the sake of the minorities.
Which democracy or justice is this one being advocated by tribal chauvinists?
It appears to me that the worst enemy to nationalhood are those who think that fairness is when a small fellow trod over a bigger one.
On an objective note, given the limited posts in the civil service, their distribution has worked against the Kikuyu since indepedence.
The same has transpired in elective posts, especially parliament whereby given their population, Kikuyus are disproportionately represented.
No leader understood this than former president, the late Daniel arap Moi.
Moi went to great extent to deny Kikuyus their rights in all spheres, economic sector notwithstanding.
Indeed, it is former president Mwai Kibaki who shyly lifted Kikuyus from bonds of unfair treatment.
It is therefore dissappointing for tribalists to hide their true motives disguised as championing minority tribes interests.
Is it strange that for any post in the civil service, military, police, NYS and other sectors that out of 10 applicants, six are Kikuyu?
Does it bother these tribalists that for every 10 deaths in the country six are Kikuyus?
Should it be considered unfair that in our penal institutions six out of 10 prisoners are Kikuyus?
I am not a Kikuyu apologist but on this subject, I part ways with fellow minority tribes because as much as my Meru tribe is falsely alleged to be Kikuyu, I face issues from a point of knowledge and not emotional blindness.
Methinks that nobody will take Kikuyus for fools and get away with it.
Even now when Kikuyus are faced with a tough succession issue, the tendency is for some leaders to take them for granted.
Mark my words, though docile the Kikuyus are shrewed, deceptive, strategic, clever, tactical all wrapped in one.
In this regard, I see nothing wrong for any Kenyan who is qualified being appointed to any post regardless of tribe.
Unfortunately, even learned people have been caught up in this tribal mentality miasma.
What should concern right thinking Kenyans is when the masses believe in the naivety of tribal chauvinists.
It seems this country has a long way to go before we stop playing tribal cards for pleasure due to hatred for tribes with bigger numbers than the ones we belong to.
Mine is to remind such tribalists that there is a tribe called Meru with distinct charestistics and identity.
Finally a Kikuyu is also a human being. I rest my case.
Kaunda wa Muchunku
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