Date Posted: 5/13/2015 3:50:44 AM
Posted By: Edwin Gichimu Membership Level: Silver Total Points: 396
Ethnicity is one of the greatest vices that is affecting our continent Africa and more so our country Kenya. The vice has brought negative effects which are evident to everyone in Kenya, Africa and the whole world. An example is the effects of the 2007 post-election violence whose impacts are still felt even today. There are still internally displaced people commonly reffed as IDPs in camps at different parts of the country, another evidence are the cases still in the ICC at the Hague in Netherlands regarding Deputy President William Ruto and others.The vice has gained roots in our universities in Kenya in many evident ways. One of the ways in which its portrayed is when it comes to time of elections for those seeking elective posts in the different students councils in our universities. You find that students usually support those candidates who are from their ethnic groups without considering the manifestos the competitors are giving. In most cases you find that aspiring candidates from some minor tribes cannot find their way into students council they are seeking elective posts in because they lack supporters.Another evidence is seen when it comes to choosing room mates in hostel rooms and at their residential while in school. Most students prefer sharing rooms with their fellow tribes mates claiming that staying with a person from your own tribe will make you feel free to share and live with as compared to when you would live with a person from another tribe.At times you find that individuals seek friends and companions who are from their own tribes and who they have same cultures and traditions. Am not opposing the idea but I guess it could be better if they chose friends and socialized with people from other ethnic groups to learn new cultures and also appreciate cultural diversity.One more issue I would like to raise is the issue of tribal associations. From my own perspective I don't see this as a way to bring unity among tribes mates as those in the organisations argue. Rather I see it as a way of promoting negative ethnicity in universities. This is because an individual from a foreign tribe cannot join the association for example a Kamba cannot join the Kalenjin association etc, Does the association really bring unity among the Kalenjin students? I just wonder !!
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