-The current situation in Kenya is unfortunate, writes the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai, right. -It is sad and very disappointing because Kenyans had worked so hard to make the country safer, more prosperous, more democratic and more peaceful. On 27th December, 2007, Kenya voted. The Presidential Election was hotly contested and close. (23-JAN-08)

Based on an open letter written by Wangari Maathai and circulated widely around the world, this article has been prepared for publication here by HRH F / Niels Jacob Harbitz.

Thereafter, the Electoral Commission of Kenya (ECK) made the now controversial announcement that President Kibaki was the winner of the Presidential elections. Unfortunately, it did so before the tallying of all the votes and addressing of all the accompanying queries. Shortly after this declaration, the President was sworn in at what seemed to be a hurriedly prepared ceremony at State House.  That was the beginning of trouble.

Almost immediately, there were street demonstrations, looting and destruction of property in many parts of the country. Once again there were a resurgence of inter-communal ethnic clashes, where members of various communities (tribes) attacked members of other communities with bows, arrows and machetes. The attackers killed, inflicted wounds, looted property, raped and put homes and property on fire. People who could escape run for dear life to police stations or church compounds, where they believe they would be safe. They were followed there and women and children have been burnt alive in a church! The country was plunged into a political and humanitarian crisis that continues to escalate.

Both direct and collateral victims of the tragedy and indeed many Kenyans everywhere, are reeling in pain, shock, anger, frustration and shame. How could it happen here? Pictures of street demonstrators in running battles with the police, bonfires, looters and destroyed property fill TV screens, print and electronic media throughout the world: Kenya is at war with itself.

Kenyans and the international community plead for dialogue but the two leaders will not bulge! The government responds with excessive force, shoots to kill and engages groups of especially youth in running battles.  This throws the demonstrators into a frenzy of more destruction and road blockades. Vigilante groups appear, erect barriers, threaten each other with crude weapons, and threaten safe havens for the displaced. More lives are lost, houses burn and destruction of property continues: The end seems far.

The numbers of internally displaced persons continue to rise. They are weeping, in pain and traumatized. Some have lost their relatives, homes and livelihoods. They have no time to nurse the wounded, bury their dead or mourn. They are on the run. People in different political camps are attacking each other everywhere. In the meantime pleas to the leaders fall on deaf ears.

Internationally, the conflict is presented as ‘ethnic cleansing’ and another ‘Rwanda’ in the making since Hon. Mwai Kibaki and Hon. Raila Odinga are from two different communities. It is a stereotype picture of what has come to be associated with Africa.  Kenyans bury their heads in shame, anger and frustration. They continue to plead with the President, but State House appears out of reach.

The resurgence of tribal clashes is particularly painful and frustrating. It is a beast that appears especially during General Elections. There has been a history to ethnic clashes in this country that goes back to the colonial period. Indeed ethnic conflicts are a volcano always waiting to be awakened and this is done by politicians when they feel they need a tribal card to play their games.

At the end of every occurrence, victims are encouraged to forgive, forget, and allow time to heal, reconcile and move forward. People do try to forget and move forward but they are deeply wounded and painfully traumatized. Healing and reconciliation has never been given a chance. It is easy to advice victims of tribal clashes to heal and reconcile from the safety of high offices and safe homes, but it is dialogue between the two leaders that would create the necessary conducive environment for healing and reconciliation.

Unfortunately, whenever tribal clashes break out, the government seems to be completely unaware and unprepared. During the current crisis, the government failed to ensure prompt security of citizens and their property?
This is astonishing since there is a government on the ground, which should receive information about impending attacks. The government already knows the destructive nature of such tribal clashes and should be prepared to swiftly take appropriate action and protect citizens even from each other.

Understanding the root causes of tribal clashes would help those who ask the question:  ‘Why would Kenyans who have lived together as neighbours suddenly turn on each other with such hatred and destructive intent? This is an important question because Kenyans must deal with the reasons these clashes recur. As solutions are sought, Kenyans need to know the truth about these clashes and why they recur. They need justice before they can begin to heal, reconcile and move forward… in that order.

There can be no healing and reconciliation unless and until the truth is laid bare and justice is administered. This time round, let Kenyans not sweep tribal clashes, demonstrations, murders, rapes and destruction of property under the carpet as they have always done. Let the truth be known!  Only when the truth is known and justice is received can anxiety be reduced and the wounds begin to heal. Only then can reconciliation start and people begin to look into the future with hope.

The road to the truth can be long and painful and Kenyans must be ready for it. It is much easier to bury the truth and move forward. But without truth how do we administer justice? And can healing and reconciliation be possible without justice. This road is not easy but Kenyans can begin by laying bare and subsequently putting to rest the reasons they recur.

For example, Kenyans know that there are perceptions, prejudices, biases and stereotypes which are perpetrated by communities about each other and they go back a long way. They are divisive when they are used as tools to cause resentment, dislikes and even hatred. Why not criminalize them and punish those people who use them to ‘divide and rule’

Secondly, Kenyans  know that historically, the colonial government forced the displacement of large numbers of people to make way for white settlers. At independence land changed hands but the issue of land ownership and distribution remained unresolved even after independence. In the highly competitive Kenyan political landscape, unresolved issues like the land issue become tools for battle during General Elections. This is because citizens are easily won over by politicians who promise them that if they vote for them, they (politicians) will ensure that they get land. If the only way to get free land is to evict fellow Kenyans by force and an opportunity presents itself, neighbours become the easiest victims. This may be encouraged by the knowledge that such crimes will most likely never be punished. Attackers do not only destroy livelihoods, they also deliberately demoralize and traumatize the victims in the hope that they will not return. If they do not return, the attackers occupy the ‘abandoned land’. Unresolved land issues are therefore, emotive, divisive and dangerous tools for precipitating  tribal clashes.

The government may also be contributing to the tribal clashes by its failure to protect its citizens and their property. If crimes committed during tribal clashes are not punished and victims do not get justice and instead the government sweeps the matter under the carpet, perpetrators of tribal clashes get away. This may encourage recurrence. This is especially true if tribal clashes are made profitable because the attackers keep the loot. The government must play its role effectively and ensure that the rule of law is respected by all. It should also ensure that unresolved issues are addressed by institutions that will ensure that justice is administered fairly and swiftly. During the Constitutional Conference of 2005, a legal mechanism was called for to deal with this and other unresolved issues which contribute towards the recurrence of ethnic conflicts. 
 
Tribal clashes in Kenya and indeed in black Africa, are symptomatic. They reveal the superficial nature of the African Nation States, which are not yet cohesive enough to give a sense of security and trust to all citizens. As we all know, the Modern African States are essentially a loose collection of tribal homelands, (which I refer to as micro-nationalities). Kenya has 42 such micro-nationalities. The largest micro-nationality has a population of several millions, while the smallest has a population of less than a few thousands. Acquisition of political power is determined by these numbers.

Most African Nation States were hurriedly created by retreating European colonial powers at independence by coalescing a group of these micro-nationalities together and sometimes even splitting them.  The Nation State was given a name, a flag and a national anthem and equally rather hurriedly, handed over to a select group of western-educated elites, most of who were sympathetic with the colonial administration. Most African populations did not understand the new Nation State and remained largely loyal and attached to the micro-nationalities. This was also especially because the ruling elites became aloof and distant, spoke a foreign language, adopted a foreign culture and frustrated and even dashed the hopes expected from the state of independence.

With perhaps the exception of Tanzania, where President Julius Nyerere deliberatively and consciously worked for a more cohesive Nation State, in many countries in Africa, loyalty to the micro-nationality is greater than loyalty to the Nation State. The ruling elites know that to acquire power they need the support of the micro-nationality and therefore must demonstrate loyalty to it. At the same time they must express loyalty to the Nation State. Indeed it is the ruling elites who seem to understand and need the Nation State, while the majority of citizens relate more closely with the micro-nationality.

A threat to the micro-nationality or perceived leaders of the same, seems more of a threat than a threat to the Nation State. Often, tribal clashes are used to protect the interests of the micro-nationality or their leaders at the expense of the Nation State.

To create a more cohesive Nation State the ruling elites should devote time, energy and resources to create such Nation States that would ensure universal freedom, security and equitable distribution of resources to at least the majority of citizens. This is because tribal clashes are also fuelled by poverty, corruption and a strong perception that national resources are not equitably distributed to all micro-nationalities. That is partly why micro-nationalities are consumed by the possibility of one of their own accessing the ultimate power of the Presidency so that his micro-nationality can have its time to also “eat”, as is said in Kenya.

With perhaps the exception of Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, African ruling elites have used political power to accumulate wealth to themselves, families and their friends (often corruptly) at the expense of the majority of their citizens. This has made many citizens, (and especially the youth who are also in the majority) feel disenfranchised, excluded, insecure and restless.

But there is hope. Even at its darkest hour, Kenya can be encouraged by the road it has traveled trying to build a Nation State. Did we take the wrong route? Perhaps we did, but to err is human.  That Kenyans came out to vote in large numbers on 27th December, 2007, is a good thing. They were voting  for a team that they believed would not misuse power, would give them hope and would address some of the unresolved issues some of which precipitate tribal clashes.

Kenyans should not lose site of the fact that it has been an ongoing struggle, that goes back to the colonial period. Kenyans, and indeed all African need to embrace their micro-nationalities because they need culture, language, values and purpose. They do not have to melt into the Nation State: it is impossible anyway. Rather, they ought to consciously and deliberately work to strengthen the Nation State by bringing on board the best from their micro-nationality and enrich the heritage at the level of Nation State.

It is possible to achieve an understanding, where leaders of the Nation State are elected on the basis of their ability, commitment and track record rather than on how many votes they can garner from their micro-nationality. Then, the leaders of the Nation State would not be supported blindly (whether they are right or wrong) or because they can take a hardliner positions for the sake of the micro-nationality. It is possible for Africans to rise above the petty politics at the level of micro-nationalities and embrace bigger issue at the level of Nation State and even embrace the dream of the African Union of a United Africa. But if African leaders cannot unite their people at the level of micro-nationality, how can they hope to have a United Africa?

We can make a deliberate choice to move forward together towards a more cohesive Nation State, where we can all feel free, secure, and at peace with ourselves and our neighbours. In such a Nation State there would be no need for any Kenyan to organize tribal clashes against their neighbours. The micro-nationalities would begin to see the benefits of unity in diversity.

To get where they have been struggling to go, Kenyans need leadership. Some of it is in State House and must be willing to engage its counterpart leadership in the Orange House. This they must do for the sake of Kenya and Africa.

The rest of the leadership is all of us, playing our part wherever we are, and maintaining peace and goodwill. The international community will help us but we are the ones who must rise up and walk towards, truth, justice, healing and reconciliation. That is the path to a lasting peace.

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(The Office of the Peace laureate, 2004, Wangari Maathai, The African Union’s ECOSOCC, Kenya Chapter and friends is erecting a Peace Tent at the offices of Green Belt Movement so that Kenyans can  sign up in support of the on-going efforts for dialogue and a negotiated settlement. For all  citizens and friends can sign up and appeal to President Kibaki and Hon. Raila Odinga to initiate a dialogue for a peaceful settlement to the current crisis for the sake of the people of Kenya).