Tribalism has no place in modern society

Scientific enlightenment and communication have enabled the universe to coalesce into one big global village.

It is shocking, therefore, that in this day and age, we continue to reel under the weight of tribal bigotry, racism, and religious intolerance.

Although there are many theories about the origin and status of world languages, language has never been a barrier to the human race.

Human anatomy is the same the world over.

Some may have longer noses, different colour eyes, skin, and hair, but it is generally the same human body performing similar functions.

People may inhabit different topographies requiring different adaptations, but the human composition is the same.

It is, therefore, startling to see the lengths to which some people can go to seek to exterminate fellow humans.

Globalisation has been achieved because some individuals left the comfort of their natural habitat and ventured out to live under completely new and challenging climatic and social conditions.

It is argued that people who are native to a given locality may not fully exploit the resources as they may have become too accustomed to the natural order of things.

It takes a “foreigner” to view the environment differently and “discover” (new) resources that the dwellers were completely oblivious to.

It is no wonder that the explorers are credited with “discovering” natural phenomena such as mountains, rivers, lakes, and natural resources that the were so familiar with the local Africans who saw them every day.

The newcomers exploited these resources for their own massive economic gain while the natives gained little.

Human migration as a precursor to progress seems to be ordained even in the Bible and history.

The story of the biblical Abraham, who was told to leave his native land and move to a new place, is the story of the dispersal of the Jewish people and their influence all over the world.

ALL ARE EQUAL
Ouma Otieno, born on the shores of Lake Victoria, should not grow up believing that he is ordained to only be a fisherman.

Maina Mwangi should not believe he is the coffee/tea-picker designate.

Neither should Kulet ole Kina nor Hamed Hamad believe they are dyed-in-the-wool pastoralists.

With the advantage of education and knowledge, individuals have an opportunity to change their environments and move to new places where they can have greater social impact.

Conversely, they can welcome “foreigners” in their midst who can have a profound impact in their areas and create new opportunities.

Diversity is designed to bring out the best in us.

The idea of “ancestral lands” and “our people” is a pre-civilisation concept.

All human beings are “our people”.

We are not native to the geographical areas that we currently inhabit.

Junet Mohammed is a Kenyan Somali and MP for Suna East in Nyanza.

Shakeel Shabbir and Abdul Rahim Dawood, both of Asian descent, are MPs in Kisumu and Meru counties respectively.

When Moses Kuria, Johnson Muthama, Mutahi Ngunyi, and others of their ilk throw out tribal jibes, they do not advance humanity, but rather seek to diminish it.

They make us wonder whether all the centuries of human evolution to become the modern scientific man were in vain, whether we are doomed to remain boxed in our prehistoric selves.