Comments on: Ethnic Stereotypes Are Dangerous http://www.kikuyusforchange.com/?p=205 Fri, 27 Aug 2010 19:43:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: raho http://www.kikuyusforchange.com/?p=205&cpage=1#comment-2303 raho Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:58:47 +0000 http://www.kikuyusforchange.com/?p=205#comment-2303 we only need to be human enough and see each other as brothers and sister rather than tribe-minded. once all human perceive each other in this sense the demon controlling our mindsets with regard to tribalism will vanish. it a call for all of us to embrace peace, love and humanity with almighty GOD BEING OUR ONLY GUIDE in this rough-terrained and evil infested world. we only need to be human enough and see each other as brothers and sister rather than tribe-minded. once all human perceive each other in this sense the demon controlling our mindsets with regard to tribalism will vanish. it a call for all of us to embrace peace, love and humanity with almighty GOD BEING OUR ONLY GUIDE in this rough-terrained and evil infested world.

]]> By: Milton Muigai http://www.kikuyusforchange.com/?p=205&cpage=1#comment-2258 Milton Muigai Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:58:16 +0000 http://www.kikuyusforchange.com/?p=205#comment-2258 In as much as I would applaud your initiative, I do have serious concerns as to whether much thought has gone into the sociopolitical message you seek to impart. Firstly, why the “kikuyusforchange” label? Granted, your members may share the same ethnic background, but in my opinion you are only perpetuating the same tribal packaging that Kenyans have seen over the years. Is this not stereotyping per se? Regardless of the agenda your organization has, or purports to have, why shouldn’t Kenyans view “kikuyusforchange” as an attempt at introducing a new generation GEMA? After all, your choice of members automatically excludes the rest of the 41 peoples of our country. The root cause of Kenya’s woes is not tribalism, but poverty and ignorance. Tribalism is but a by-product since this is the only way Kenyans can identify with each other. People tend to cling onto the familiar (read tribe) when the going gets tough and rough. That Kenyan politicians take advantage of this phenomenon is not surprising since the political elite in Kenya are parasitical in nature. By playing on ignorance and “we are poor and suffer because that tribe exists” type of tripe, they have managed to perfect and strengthen their hold onto to both political and economic power. To ask them to desist using the tribal card in their aspirations to even greater power, is like asking a tick to stop looking for hosts on which to feed. The tick must feed or perish. Let us not be hypocrites or stop our heads in the sand like the Ostrich. Kenya has two tribes, the haves and the have-nots. There’s no middle ground. In my opinion, our quest as Kenyans should be to educate and fight poverty at the grass-root level. By doing so, especially if we do so multi-ethnically, we will crash the myths of tribal supremacy and inferiority. How to best go about this is anyone’s guess and I would not be so presumptuous as to claim that I have all the answers. But the truth is out there and the dream can be reality. It’s just the other day a man captured the imagination of the world by his call of “Yes we can”. Dare we tread where he has trodden? Follow in his nyayo (footsteps)? Therefore my unsolicited advice to you brethren of “kikuyusforchange” is to regroup and revaluate your message to Kenya. May you strive to and show us the way to become Kenyans for Change. Milton Muigai In as much as I would applaud your initiative, I do have serious concerns as to whether much thought has gone into the sociopolitical message you seek to impart.

Firstly, why the “kikuyusforchange” label? Granted, your members may share the same ethnic background, but in my opinion you are only perpetuating the same tribal packaging that Kenyans have seen over the years. Is this not stereotyping per se? Regardless of the agenda your organization has, or purports to have, why shouldn’t Kenyans view “kikuyusforchange” as an attempt at introducing a new generation GEMA? After all, your choice of members automatically excludes the rest of the 41 peoples of our country.

The root cause of Kenya’s woes is not tribalism, but poverty and ignorance. Tribalism is but a by-product since this is the only way Kenyans can identify with each other. People tend to cling onto the familiar (read tribe) when the going gets tough and rough. That Kenyan politicians take advantage of this phenomenon is not surprising since the political elite in Kenya are parasitical in nature. By playing on ignorance and “we are poor and suffer because that tribe exists” type of tripe, they have managed to perfect and strengthen their hold onto to both political and economic power. To ask them to desist using the tribal card in their aspirations to even greater power, is like asking a tick to stop looking for hosts on which to feed. The tick must feed or perish. Let us not be hypocrites or stop our heads in the sand like the Ostrich. Kenya has two tribes, the haves and the have-nots. There’s no middle ground.

In my opinion, our quest as Kenyans should be to educate and fight poverty at the grass-root level. By doing so, especially if we do so multi-ethnically, we will crash the myths of tribal supremacy and inferiority. How to best go about this is anyone’s guess and I would not be so presumptuous as to claim that I have all the answers. But the truth is out there and the dream can be reality. It’s just the other day a man captured the imagination of the world by his call of “Yes we can”. Dare we tread where he has trodden? Follow in his nyayo (footsteps)?

Therefore my unsolicited advice to you brethren of “kikuyusforchange” is to regroup and revaluate your message to Kenya. May you strive to and show us the way to become Kenyans for Change.

Milton Muigai

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