Monday, September 24, 2007

Kids on Politics and Tribalism

Did you know that politics and tribalism begins right in your houses?

Our children are influenced by our discussions and have become very political. They are in touch with the happenings of the political arena. They are also turning tribal because the political shape of this country seems to be tribal. This is a worrying trend.

When new political parties are formed, they know it is for which tribe. It was just the other day I heard very young boys saying:

“We ni wa ODM si wewe ni mjaluo (You are an ODM member, you are a Luo)” nasty comments. I know you have heard of such segregating comments even from our politicians.

When I heard these I asked myself what nation we are preparing for these children. Are we preparing them to fight on tribal lines in future? But the fundamental question is where do these children take sides from? Are we parents part of this? Do you teach your child to be discriminative and biased?

My kids also discuss politics and what is on the day’s news. When I get home after the news has passed they will brief me on what was in the news mainly on political issues. You would think politics is one of the subjects they do in school.

This is a very worrying trend, the bad lessons are being learned right in our family houses? Who is to blame? Am sure you all know the answer to that.

Stop this wrong subject in your homes for a better Kenya tomorrow!

3 comments:

kenyaonly said...

...can't be told any better....when will we learn that politics have divided us...at the end of the day we are all kenyans, lets teach that to the children for a better tomorrow

Anonymous said...

I think we live in disturbing times, tribally speaking. I believe it also has to do with the parents and what kind of discussions they have in the home in the presence of their children. They actually catch much more than they let on. Parents should beware. At least the youth, especially in urban areas are trying to disregard the tribal stereotypes than their parents. The association is much more on personality and integrity than on what tribe one comes from.

Anonymous said...

I hate it when my Kuk pals meet the Luo ones...What i witness is agonising hours of verbal war...What angers me most is the fact that we are in a foreign land where politics of tribes should not even come up