Kikuyus should keep an open mind

Growing up as a Kikuyu, it was difficult to ignore the ugly face of tribalism. It was not uncommon to hear that Kikuyus do this and luos do that and Lughyas do that. However, when I attended school at Lenana, I was no longer a kikuyu but a “changerian” proud to be from Lenana School. Tribe to many of our classmates meant nothing. Just an ignorant facet of the older generation we thought. We all got along and the differences we had, were ideological and not tribal. As a reside in the United States, I look at it in contempt if anyone asks me what tribe I am from because it flat out does not matter, I am a Kenyan. That is the way the majority of my fellow Kenyans in the Diaspora perceive it. We are all Kenyans and defined by our character and individual achievements not tribe.

Kenyans voted for Mwai Kibaki on December 27th 2002, not as a Kikuyu but as a symbol of institutional change. Kibaki as a candidate made promises not only to Kenyans but his fellow colleagues that he failed to deliver. The grave failures of Kibaki as a president are well documented and stem from his inept inability to tackle corruption to his alliance with individuals in his Cabinet that have been linked to various financial crimes against the Republic.


Kibaki’s bungles are endless. Failure to implement constitutional reforms, failure in tackling tribalism within Government, failure in dealing with Violent crime that has held Kenyans hostage. Inability to effectually deal with Mungiki, a terror organization that has grown exponentially in the Kibaki regime. In office, President Kibaki has allowed the blatant attack on independent media. In what was termed as unprecedented in Kenyan History, Authorities raided the offices of 'The Standard', arrested three journalists, damaged and confiscated equipment, burned newspapers and shut down a broadcasting station, Kenya Television Network (KTN). Attack on journalists have included the arrest of senior Kenya Times editor Onyango Omollo and writer David Ochami in September of 2005.

Ladies and Gentlemen I could go on but the list remains endless. This is not a kikuyu issue! This is a Kenyan issue. Accountability has to be in place wether the individual is a kikuyu, a luo or a pokot. Its time to change guard and get beyond the myopia of an individuals tribe. Lets get our country back and fire kibaki