If we don’t move to destroy negative ethnicity, it’ll tear our country apart

In 1952, Chief Waruhiu wa Kungu of Kiambu said Kenya was swaying to and fro like a water reed in great wind. Like then, Kenya is today also swaying to and fro like a reed in the wind of negative ethnicity. Though we fought ideology of negative ethnicity to get independence, soon we started using it to fight each other for power and resources. 

As soon as the election comes, we shall be casting our ballots not as united Kenyans but as enemy communities that will use the ballot to oust and implant one another from power and the gravy train.

In the meantime, we call leaders from other communities unprintable insults and sharpen our swords, machetes and long knives to slaughter one another if our candidate does not win the election. God have mercy on us.

But, exactly, what is negative ethnicity? 

Negative ethnicity is the hate of people from other communities. It is rejection of humanity and leadership from other communities. But negative ethnicity is not ethnicity per se. Nor is it positive ethnicity or ethnic self pride that is perfectly okay. 

POSITIVE ETHNICITY

Ethnicity, positive ethnicity and negative ethnicity are not interchangeably usable. They do not mean the same. Nor do we object to positive but negative ethnicity when we talk about negative ethnicity or tribalism.

Misguided by negative ethnicity, how shall we give ourselves the best president in the coming election? Unfortunately, not even the National Integration and Cohesion Commission will save us. But may be memory might forewarn us why we should exercise some restraint.

So far negative ethnicity has taken most African governments captive and killed over 10.8 million since independence. Ethnic genocides have killed 800,000 in Rwanda, 2,000,000 in Sudan, 2,000,000 in Nigeria, 800,000 in Uganda, 150,000 in Liberia, 50,000 in Sierra Leone, 200,000 in Burundi, 1,000,000 in Angola, over 2.5 million in Democratic Republic of Congo, 20,000 in South Africa, 100,000 in Algeria, over 1,000,000 in Somalia and 1,300 in Kenya. Negative ethnicity is more destructive than atomic bombs that killed 100,000 people in Hiroshima and 40,000 in Nagasaki. 

KILLING PEOPLE

Negative ethnicity must stop killing people as it does today. Tribal leaders have no right to play God with African people and communities.

But how does negative ethnicity take people captive? To explode and start ethnic wars on a massive scale, negative ethnicity employs several strategies. 

First, it wins the hearts and minds of the people, becoming the ideology of communities, politics, parties and elections. 

Second, it employs the Machiavellian principle: “The end justifies the means.” Use negative ethnicity if it will give you leadership, power, land, tender, business, job and money.

Third, negative ethnicity puts communities and governments under siege, then promises salvation once in its web. 

Fourth, in Africa, negative ethnicity embraces corruption and promises those who follow, loot, power and protection.

 How does negative ethnicity work?

 One, it demonises others and self. Unless a leper, you cannot contract leprosy. Without hate, one cannot demonise. Hence hate speeches and demonisation all over. 

Two, disciples of negative ethnicity scapegoat others for own problems to justify ethnic hate and discrimination. 

DISCRIMINATION

Three, negative ethnicity thrives in discrimination against other communities. It does not willingly share humanity, respect, resources or power with people of other communities. Because people of other communities are dirt, they deserve nothing. 

Four, negative ethnicity thrives by fanning hate, conflict and war. It is an ideology of division, domination and genocide. 

Five, because it breeds prejudice and conflict, negative ethnicity also breeds monsters for leaders. 

Negative ethnicity increases because it disarms its followers by never letting them suspect its ultimate intention to destroy all. 

Negative ethnicity conquers hearts, minds and territory by camouflaging itself as a friend and saviour of all its followers. 

ENEMIES

Negative ethnicity also comes as a friend and enemy of enemies. It always comes as an ideology of salvation, never genocide. It comes not to enslave but save communities by conquering their enemies. By antagonising all, negative ethnicity gives all an enemy to hate and conquer. Negative ethnicity ensures everyone has an enemy that hates them.

Negative ethnicity has always been on the rise as evidenced by ethnic conflicts all over Africa. Why? 

In poorer countries, while poor people without intellectual capacity to handle complicated ideas are more vulnerable to wiles of negative ethnicity offering community security, the more educated embrace it for its benefits to them. 

If we don’t destroy negative ethnicity, it will destroy Kenya.

The writer is a former MP and author of ‘Negative Ethnicity: From Bias to Genocide’.