Ways to solve conflicts in Kenya

Background

My interests for further study about people living in Kenya, were arousing after I
summarized an article, issued in Africa news about armed conflicts among several Kenyan communities. As reported by the media and other sources, several areas in Kenya are torn by violence. For instance, in an article entitled “Nairobi Slum Population Sliding Toward Desperation”, the author described the situation of the inhabitants of Nairobi as follows: “Kibera, a populated Nairobi slum of 700 000 inhabitants, was completely paralyzed by violence. Tens of thousands of poor and vulnerable people were confined in that place marked by plunder, sudden violence, and strife between supporters of political rivals and criminal gangs” (“Bowen,” 2008, para. 1). This scene of violence aggravated the fragile economic and social situation of the people. According the author stated previously, “the greatest part of the population is deprived of income and food” (Bowen, 2008, para. 6). From the point of view of Mittulah (2003), slums do not mostly generate urban unrest, despite of violence, criminality and victimization, commonly found in those areas. This situation is the result of a lack of a well-defined policy from the competent authorities. Another went further by stating the following: “Kenya needs a cleaner, more democratic, more rule-abiding government; it needs to eliminate the licenses and regulations that create opportunities for bribery; it needs to apply the law equally to all citizens” (Applebaum, 2008, para. 6).

Located at eastwards of the African continent, the Republic of Kenya whose area is estimated at 582, 646 sq. km, has a population of 37.9 million of inhabitants, divided into six major ethnic groups. Those ethnicities include Kikuyu (22%), Luyia (14%), Luo (14%), Kalenjin (11%), Kamba (11%), Kisii (6%), and Meru (5%). About 80% of the population is Christian; the remaining percentage belongs either to Muslim (10%) or to traditional African religions (9%), or slightly to other religious congregations (1%) (U.S. Department of State, 2008). The population growth rate was estimated at 2.758% in 2008. During the same year, the birth rate was 37.89‰, whereas the death rate was 10.3‰. Furthermore, the total fertility was estimated at 4.7 babies born per woman in 2008. The number of people aged 15 and over, who can read and write, represents 85.1% of the population. However, the school life expectancy is 10 years (The World Factbook, 2009). The official language is English, whereas Swahili is the national language. Besides those languages, there are over 40 other languages from some linguistic groups such as Bantu, Nilotic, and Cushitic (U.S. Department of State, 2008).

Kenya conquered its independence in 1963, after being under British protectorate since 1895. After the death of his first president, Jomo Kenyatta, in 1978, Daniel Arap Moi ruled over the country; everything went relatively smoothly, until Moi was almost victim of a putsch. After the aborted putsch, the president and his political party (Kenyan African National Union) formed a coalition with politicians and businessmen who belonged for most of them to the president’s ethnicity (Kalenjin) which is one of the greatest ethnic groups in the country. People who belonged to this tribe, derived from 10 ethnic groups and four tens of smaller communities. Moi used ethnicity as an instrument of governing. When he was asked to share the power with people from other major ethnical groups in Rift Valley area, following the cold war, the president rather excluded them from his cabinet. Many observers assumed that this course of action implemented by the official leader of the country played a key role in spurring the climate of intertribal violence since 1992 in Rift Valley; those series of violence have cost many people their life, and have forced the survivors to displace. Natural resources, particularly land, are the underlying cause of those conflicts which set a huge drawback on Kenyan economy (Beurden, 2000).

In my paper, I plan to propose two courses of action that need to be implemented to resolve conflicts in Kenya. Those actions must aim at reforming the political system as well as at improving the socio-economic condition of the population.

Reforming Kenyan political system through education is an important step in the attempt to bring up conflicts among ethnic groups. From its accession to independence, Kenya has been governed by leaders who used ethnic groups as a powerful tool of maintaining the power. They detest multiparty democracy, whereas they are obsessing about staying for a lifetime at the office. Such mentality needs to change. However, it will not change overnight, since it is deep-rooted in the society; in fact, it can progressively be improved. Democracy should be the system of government to be promoted in Kenya. Every citizen would have to learn his or her rights and duties in the society. Furthermore, leaders of other countries with strong democracy should work jointly with Kenyan government until he assimilates the concept of democracy. Most importantly, the youth of the country should be the main target group to teach the basic principles of democracy, for they will also have to rule over the country in the years to come; moreover, as young people, they are less reluctant to change than the adults. Another aspect that needs to be emphasized is the cult of patriotism and nationalism. From their early age, every Kenyan citizen should know that they belong to one country; thus they have to work together to make life looks better. And no matter their ethnic difference, they are one nation.

Improving the socio-economic conditions of all citizens is another important step to be taken in the process of solving conflicts in Kenya. In this case, some actions must be implemented in the short term, others in mid and long terms. In the short term, the government must elaborate a plan of development that takes into account the aspirations of all social categories. This plan must include education for the population, health care, food, energy and water supplies, and job creation etc. Job creation is an important factor the success of the plan. People must be able to afford money to buy the services provided by the government. Moreover, by being busy working, people will unlikely be involved in conflicts, because they will not have any time to waste. The authorities may also organize competitions (sports) among the different communities in order to make them become familiar with each other. This can foster mutual understanding between communities.

In the mid and long terms, the authorities should give some incentives to the population in order to control the fertility rate. For example, women could be given the opportunity to get involved in careers, so that they may give birth to fewer children. In every society where women are busy working outside of home, their total fertility rate (the number on children a woman will have during her childbearing years), tend to decrease. By controlling the size of the population, the government will find more resources to devote to the well-being of the current population. This course of action can also help government set aside money for implementing some projects such as school construction, and the building of health centers. One of the greatest problems of the poor countries is their incapacity to correlate the growth of their population with the available resources. This is also one of the major reasons of riot in those areas. As president Kennedy (1961) pointed out in his inaugural address: “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”

To sump up, conflict in Kenyan communities is a big issue. Politics catalyze this situation. Besides politics, poverty also plays an important role. To fix this problem, Kenyan leaders must be conscious of the scope of crisis. They also need to make proof of patriotism and nationalism in order to set a good plan, designated to satisfy the basic needs of the poor population. Overall, the reform of politics through the promotion of a new form of government as well as the improvement of the living conditions of the population are fundamental for curtailing conflicts in this region.

References
Appelbaum, A. (22, Jan.2002). Rot in Kenya’s politics. Washington post. Retrieved on February 28, 2009, from: http://www.aei.org/publications/filter.all,pubID.27394/pub_detail.asp

Beurden, J.V., (2000). Kenya: Small scale conflicts could have major
repercussions. Searching for peace in Africa. Retrieved on March 2, 2009, from: http://www.conflict-prevention.net/page.php?id=40&formid=73&action=show&surveyid=58

Bowen, S. (2009, Jan. 09). Nairobi slum population toward desperation. News Room. Retrieved on February 19, 2009, from:http://www.imc-la.com/content/article/detail/1574

Houreld, K. ( 2008, August, 24). In Kenya slum, sun and sewage equals progress. USA Today. Retrieved on February 19, 2009, from: http: www.usatoday.com/news/world/20


Kennedy, J. F., (20, Janv. 1961). Inaugural Address. American Rhetoric Top 100 speeches. Retrieved on February 19, 2009, from: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkinaugural.htm


Mckinley, T. (2001, Dec. 7). Kenya’s slum war. BBC News. Retrieved on February 19, 2009, from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/1697809.stm


Mittulah,W. (2003). Understanding slums: case studies for the global report 2003. ULC. Retrieved on February 19, 2009, from: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/dpu-projects/Global_Report/cities/nairobi.htm

Salopek, P. (2008, July 2). Violent cult patrol Kenya slums. Cult News. Retrieved on February 19, 2009, from: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003770727_kenya02.html
Tattersall, N. (2008, Jan. 17). Kenya’s slum residents angered by police brutality. Reuters. Retrieved on Feb.19, 2009, from: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL17863342
The world Factbook. (2009, Feb. 24). Kenya. CIA.gov, Retrieved on March 2, 2009, from:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/ke.html


U.S. Department of State (2008). Kenya. State.gov, Retrieved on March 2, 2009,
from: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2962.htm

A Dreadful Experience, But at the end...

I have been in Carbondale just for two months. During this short period, I have made a lot of experience. In this paper, I would like to share one of them.

Coming from a tropical country, I am not accustomed with cold weather. Although my friend from Haiti advised me to wear clothes which can prevent me from catching cold, I did not pay to much attention to what he said. One day, after coming out of the streets, I did not feel well. I felt like coughing with difficulties, and then I said: “I am done”. As the time was passing, I felt worse. So, I could not even eat anything. Then I was freaked out inside of me. I wondered myself, what will happen to me. Fortunately, my parents taught me how to deal with this kind of situation when I was in my country. Thus, I took the necessary steps to fix that problem once for all. First, I anointed my chest with oil I brought in the U.S. from Haiti. That oil derived from a medicinal plant named Ricinus communis (the picture of that plant is displayed on the top of the text). Next, I put on warm clothes. Third, I went to bed and covered myself from the top to the bottom with a very thick sheet. I did so, in other to increase the temperature of my body. At the same time, I avoided drinking cold beverages as well as taking cold shower. Hopefully, I recovered my health.

I drew two lessons from that experience: firstly, it is important to be prudent in life; secondly, whenever the opportunity to learn something new arises, seize it.