Philip Ochieng
16 August 2008
opinion
Nairobi — In a society where the politicians themselves cultivate ethnic loyalty at the expense of national interests, when a high-powered politician makes an appointment seen as aimed at placating an ethnic constituency, he creates a most dangerous precedent.
That was what happened when a minister appointed a Coastal to head the Mombasa-based Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
For many years, Coast politicians have complained that "upcountry" cadres dominate executive positions in Coast-based parastatals.
You don't need to be vague about it. By "upcountry", you mean Kikuyu, Luo, Luhya and Kalenjin.
Moreover, the Coastals - composed mostly of some consanguine Bantu communities called Mijikenda - have no apology to make. For their complaint is completely just.
"Upcountry" domination of the managerial sector of the Coast economy has two roots.
One is the preferential cultivation of intellectual resources that the colonial regime gave to Kikuyu, Luo and Luhya.
Although the other also has colonial roots, it became manifest only in post-colonial times - the habit by our ruling class to favour individuals from their own tribes, races, gender and religion whenever they are in hire-and-fire positions.
The presidency is the most powerful hire-and-fire position and, so far, only a Kikuyu (on two occasions) and a Kalenjin have ever occupied that seat.
The upshot is that "upcountry" domination of the Coast is a result, first, of unfair colonial distribution of modern skills and, secondly, tribalism.
Thus to correct these injustices should be an essential part of what the politicians have for the last 50 years claimed to be "nation-building".
One is to bring the Coast (and other colonially unfavoured areas) up to the same educational level as "upcountry" so that the Coast can manage its own affairs efficiently.
But the other is that the Coast is part of Kenya.
Therefore, self-management must seen as a vital part of national management and development - an equally vital aspect of which must be a conscious and deliberate war on tribalism.
That is among the reasons that we must appoint only qualified personnel to manage all our intellectual and economic development institutions.
And - notwithstanding their tribal affiliations - we must deploy our qualified cadres to any area of the republic.
A Mdigo engineer deployed to Mbita not only brings to that western Kenyan area the benefits of his know-how but also shares with my people of Rusinga and Kasigunga the benefits of another culture.
Cultures and expertise are what must unite to build a new Kenya.
That is why there is no contradiction between trying to correct the historic injustices and yet, at the same time, continuing to deploy personnel from and to all parts of Kenya - including "upcountry" personnel to the Coast.
The only proviso is that this be done in an all-sided manner.
For it to work, we must implement the policy with a great deal more rationalism.
Expertise must be the rule number one. But we have to recognise the tendency by our educated classes to lapse into narrow-mindedness in appointing lower cadres.
The complaint by Coast leaders is not merely that an "upcountry" man has been appointed managing director of a public company - there is that - but, much more importantly, that he proceeds to flood the premises with his tribesmen and women, down to the lowest office messenger.
That is a practice which can be tackled through legal and administrative provisions.
Such chauvinism should be criminalised and, as a possible deterrent, an MD who commits it should face a stiff jail sentence.
But, until we banish tribalism from our thought-habits, other measures may be necessary.
For instance, it might help to legally demand that, where there is a qualified local person, the local must get priority among the applicants for a senior post in a local organisation - just as we already claim to be doing against European, Indo-Pakistani and other expatriates -- to protect local interests.
A politician, of course, has interests which soar above those of nation-building.
Power-seeking is paramount. President Moi's appointments, for instance, were based on the coldest political calculations and paid no attention whatsoever to qualification and experience.
But, as I say, this is a seemingly incurable disease of members of our ruling class (of all tribes). That is why, whoever appointed the controverted ports MD, we cannot blame him in isolation.
It is the essence of the fact that some Coast politicians -- being politicians -- are completely uninterested in the reasons being given for his sacking.
This political exigency is what makes it necessary for another Coastal to be appointed in his place.
The only rider is that the replacement posses all the qualifications necessary for running an international port.
It is unfortunate. But it is the cross our politicians must carry for failing to face tribalism head-on.
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