Raila: Tribe should not divide Kenyans

Prime Minister Raila Odinga has urged Kenyans to embrace their ethnicity to foster national unity.

Mr Odinga told a gathering at the German Embassy in Nairobi Wednesday that Kenya, which is composed of many tribes, should learn from to other countries like Germany that managed to eliminate tribalism.

"Germany consisted of tribes, some which were antagonistic to each other and which used to speak different languages. They were down after the First World War, but they rose again. After the Second World War, they were down again and of course they were divided, said the PM.

"You still find traces of those tribes today, maybe in accent but they are all united as one people. Those differences have remained only as competition.

"I wish we could introduce that here in our country Kenya so that we see each other as one people, one nation and one country," he said.

Tribalism plays a big part in politics where communities align themselves to parties deemed popular in their localities.

A wave of ethnic violence characterises election periods in Kenya, the worst being the 2007/2008 chaos that left 1,133 dead and 650, 000 displaced.

Excuse for violence

Mr Odinga argued that while Kenya consists of different tribes, it should not be an excuse for violence.

“They (Germans) worked so hard, and if you go to Germany today, you may think they are the ones who won the war, because they were able to unite in diversity. Unity in diversity is what we have been preaching here.”

On Wednesday, Germany ambassador to Nairobi Margit Hellwig-Boette warned that the entire region would be affected should Kenya witness a repeat of the post election violence after the next General Election.

“Germany has a keen interest in seeing peaceful elections in the country because, if any election-related violence comes up again in Kenya, it would be a problem for the region, for peaceful economic development and would affect tourism and any business attraction,” she said.

The Embassy was commemorating 22 years since the re-unification between German Democratic Republic (East) and the Federal Republic of Germany following centuries of ethnic antagonism. The country had in 1871 formed integration but parted ways after communities were divided during the World Wars.

Mr Odinga used the event to assure the public that there would be peaceful, free and fair elections and urged potential investors not to shy away. 

“To err is human, but it is a fool who repeats the mistake. We learnt our mistake in 2008 and we have said no to repeating that mistake again.

“There are very many investors out there asking what is going to happen, wait and see. Kenyans are determined to ensure that the next elections would be free, fair and democratic.”

Chief Justice Willy Mutunga, Commission for the Implementation of the Constitution (CIC) chairman Charles Nyachae, and Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa also attended the event.